


Undertale: A Hero's Tale

by TheKursed



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Body Sharing, Fluff, I will add tags as I go, If you think of a tag to add let me know, Implied/Referenced Past Abuse, Implied/Referenced Suicidal Thoughts, Mature rating is for possible violence nothing else, Minor swearing possible, Monster!reader, Most of the characters won't come until later, Motherly Toriel, Multi, No there will not be sin, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader is male, Remember how I said this will be slow I didn't lie, Slow with at least a thousand words or more a chapter, You are the OC, Your P.O.V. as the reader will change every now and then
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-22 07:18:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 46,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6070209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKursed/pseuds/TheKursed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a seemingly harmless game changes your entire life and traps you in a world that you aren't sure should even exist, how will you cope? How will you stay true to your word and complete your deal? How will you make it out alive? Most importantly, who will you become when it's all over?</p>
<p>(Monster!Reader)</p>
<p>I do not own Undertale or any of the songs nor most of the characters mentioned. Undertale belongs to Toby Fox. This Fiction is a non-profit fan created story.</p>
<p>(((UP FOR ADOPTION<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Heroes (We Could Be)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to my first Fan Fiction in a very long time, but not my first time writing so don't give me too much of an easy time. Please leave comments, and suggestions; before you read you should know a few things such as the point of view changes every now and then, if a line of text is contained by these ** then what you’re reading is the point of views thoughts; you can only hear the P.O.V.’s thoughts, and these “” are of what is being said. Anyways, go ahead and enjoy.
> 
> Credit is given where credit is due for being such inspirations:  
> ViciousFlame: Sunshine - http://archiveofourown.org/works/5870746/chapters/13531159  
> ElectricJ: Undertale-Fallen - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11606715/1/Undertale-Fallen  
> Dynamic Dork: Guardian from Another Dimension - http://archiveofourown.org/works/5661163/chapters/13897789  
> Nythtak: Glitch - http://archiveofourown.org/works/5868163/chapters/13525594  
> CrossBladeWing: - Between Time and Space - http://archiveofourown.org/works/5552156/chapters/12806444  
> Excalipur - http://archiveofourown.org/users/Excalipur/pseuds/Excalipur  
> Whilst I can't say that I will have the determination to finish this project I can say that these six gave me enough to get started along with some ideas so please check them and their works out if you haven't already, they are awesome and deserve it.

_"We could be heroes"_

 

* * *

  **BREAKING NEWS**

_"Hello, good morning and welcome to channel 78-8 Florida NEWS!_

_Today we have some breaking news for you, as you can see behind me several buildings have been destroyed with several others minor and heavily damaged._

_The Fires behind me are still blazing as the fire department and police force is trying to take control of the situation. We do not know much about the current situation and it seems that the police don't know much more than we do either._

_What we do know, and thank goodness for this, is that no one was around to be injured which leads officials to believe this was somehow planned. Questioning of the persons that make their daily rounds through here has already begun an-"_

* * *

 

 

You turned off the TV in the kitchen as it was only bothering you. That place was far enough away (despite being close enough to end up on the news) that you don't even have to bother. Placing the remote back on the counter you move to pick up the cup of water you came into the kitchen to get. It's still cool to the touch. Making your way across the hardwood floor, you do your best to block out your surroundings. It's never fun living in a house so full of memories and having most of them be ones that you just wish to forget. These halls are filled with history, each step further in heavy than the last, weighed down by spent moments. Maybe you're just being too melodramatic, but it doesn't change how you feel. You hate living in this empty house.

 

As you exit the living area you take a hard left into your room and close the door securely behind you. The shades are closed with clothes and other possessions strewn about across the floor like a mine field, just another thing you can't seem to work up the motivation to get done. Why would you get yourself motivated to clean up anyways, it's not like you have anybody to impress... wow that just sounds sad.

 

Shaking your head to derail the train of thought you promptly ignore the mess, as is customary for you, and walk over to the corner where your computer is and place the cup of water on a coaster at the end next to the wall. Looking for your phone rewards you with wasted efforts as you give up seconds later, lulled by deciding to make future you worry about it later. The computer has booted up since you turned it on when you got out of bed to quench your thirst, so all you have to do is sit down, sign in, and waste time until you have to leave.

 

~~~

 

"Well, this is boring." You've been playing Undertale for a good hour already and find that this will probably be your last run. Just like you thought, it's become boring.

 

Sighing, you think about what you're going to do with your time now; you've spent months playing, drawing (if it could be called art that is), and just generally creating content for this amazing game. But now... the excitement seems to have faded and you’re not sure what to do with yourself. Or well what you want to do with all your free time.

 

"I guess I'll just get ready for work, but first let's get to that save." The constant hours spent playing Undertale has given you a pretty good idea of all its ins and outs, not just the save points. You know pretty much all there is to know about this game and with the community constantly hard at work, you're assured that you haven't missed anything important. The thought of everything having been found and documented is a little disheartening. You wish there was just... just more!

 

*I wonder if there's something in the files that someone mis-*

 

You're knocked out of your thoughts by a sudden high pitched barking coming from outside the home's front yard. "That stupid annoying little dog, again really!" Realizing you just rose your voice over some dog barking out front you take a moment to compose yourself, clutching the locket hanging from your neck, you've been getting better at controlling your anger but it's a slow process. You give another sigh only more exaggerated as you calm your thoughts.

 

"Emery could you...”

...

"Oh, yeah"

 

There are very few things that can really make your emotions do a complete one-eighty but you'd have to say that this subject has a pretty good track record for it. Getting up feels like pulling yourself out of a freezing lake, the water weighing down your body and clothes while the cold saps your strength. Your movements can be best described as listless as you make your way through the house with practiced motions. Walking out of your room you take a left down the hall and into the entertainment room only to stop a few feet from your destination to stand in front of a mirror, distracted.

 

You take a long look at yourself you're pretty short for your age, and you notice that you're still in yesterday's clothes consisting of a navy blue and sky blue striped, short sleeve collared shirt, black with two white stripes around the middle zip-up hoodie, dark blue jeans, black socks, and even still your light brown trashy sneakers that if you remember correctly 'completely clash with the rest of your absolutely depressing attire'.

 

You snigger thinking back to that memory as you kick off the shoes. You look up from your clothes and take note of how bad you look for nineteen as well as how messy your hair is and how dark the bags under your eyes are. Speaking of your eyes, they seem as cold as ever, if not colder with them half closed like they are, they haven't really changed since that day fitting your emotional and mental stability rather well. You really needed to get some undisturbed sleep. Allen, your psychiatrist, would love for that to happen, probably, just as much as you would. Maybe if you start getting that beauty sleep you won't end up looking seventy in your forties.

 

Noticing the scar just above your left eye you grimace and rub a finger over the other mark just above your heart as your back starts to ache.

 

"Hopefully, I won't have to go back to taking medication." You mumble under your breath.

 

Your anger suddenly spikes again as unpleasant memories start to form, noticing you take hold of your locket again rubbing your thumb over the engraving of what you still assume to be a dragon. It's really well made and hangs from your neck by an equally if not better-made string that could also pull off being called a rope seeing as how durable it is. Your locket, as you called it, is actually a watch, a now broken one at that, it was a present from a long time ago with a story as to how it got into the possession of the one who gave it to you. You however never had time to learn it. The watch was used by some guy who could use magic in an anime you watched together once a long time ago. You loved that show but never finished it; it only brings back unpleasant memories now.

 

You take a deep breath holding it for a second and letting it back out as the third sigh in the past few minutes, this time, borderline theatrical. Letting go of the locket and setting your thoughts aside, you continue to make your way to the window opening it only to see or more appropriately to not see a dog.

 

Suddenly, a patch of grass becomes very interesting and you just stand there staring at it face devoid of emotion. You spend the next few moments like this, with your elbow on the windowsill and your head propped up by your hand, enjoying the summer breeze. As your thoughts catch up to you, you close the window and make your way back to your room, careful to keep your eyes trained on just the wide open door.

 

The first thing that you notice, as soon as you make it back into your room, is the outstanding blue illumination coming from your computer screen in the corner of the room. For the fourth time today you let out a long exasperated sigh borderline of a groan of pure irritation.

 

"You have got to be kidding me." Mumbling under your breath about not remembering if you saved or not you sit down and begin the tiring process of rebooting your computer. After entering your password, and waiting for it to go through the process of checking if anything is corrupt, it starts to finally boot up.

 

You ignore the useless attempts of several companies asking you to update your computer/programs and sign into your steam account. Finally, after everything has finished booting up and updating Undertale finally starts to load up.

 

Long ago, two races

ruled over Earth:

HUMANS and MONSTERS.

 

You try to skip the rest of it but for some reason you are unable, you give up almost as quick as you started deciding to just let it finish.

 

One day, war broke

out between the two

races.

 

After a long battle,

the humans were

victorious.

 

They sealed the monsters

underground with a magic

spell.

 

Many years later...

 

MT. EBOTT

9/15/2015

 

*...Wait, what. Isn't that the release date of the game?*

 

Legends say that those

who climb the mountain

never return.

 

It was on this day a

human child climbed

the fabled mountain.

 

*...Where did this come from, I've never seen this before?!*

 

They climbed until they

found a hole in the ground

and tripped falling down.

 

The fallen child explored

the underground soon

discovering a secret power.

 

*That must be the power to reset, right?! Oh, this is exciting! Finally, something _new_ , Toby must have updated it and I didn't notice!*

 

The fallen child had the

power to **SAVE** , to **LOAD** ,

and to **RESET**.

 

"HA! HA! YES! This better be more than just a different introduction!"

 

With this power, they

made many friends and

even saved monster kind.

 

But for unknown reasons

the fallen child **RESET**

and everyone forgot.

 

The child awoke in a bed

of flowers, except they

were not alone.

 

"Chara!" *It is so talking about that little tsundere demon ghost child!*

 

This time, they did not

gain love instead they

gained **LOVE**.

 

And with every bit of

**LOVE** they gained the

more control they lost.

 

Until the fallen child

no longer had power

over their **RESET** 's.

 

*Angsty, I guess I'm responsible for that though*

 

The fallen child

distraught over what

they had done...

 

made a deal with the

other to **RESET** in

exchange for their **SOUL**.

 

The entity gave them

their **RESET** as asked, but

ultimately fooled the child.

 

*Sounds like Chara for sure.*

 

After the child **SAVE** d

everyone the being used

their shared power to...

 

**RESET** again.

 

They killed, and killed,

and killed, and killed,

and killed, and killed.

 

**RESET** after **RESET** the

fallen child was forced

to kill every monster.

 

*Well when you put it like that...*

 

Until the entity grew

tired and empathetic

wanting to continue.

 

However, they could

not. They could not

leave the underground.

 

After decades of time

spent together the

fallen child...

 

and the entity grew

past their initial

differences.

 

But they and all the

rest in the underground

are still trapped.

 

They are stuck,

they are hopeless,

they need help.

 

Will you **HELP** them?

Will you **SAVE** them all?

Will you be the **_HERO_** _?_

_Yes                   No_

 

"Whoa." *Well that is definitely new*

 

It barely even takes you a moment to make a decision and you don't think twice about it. You've still got time to kill so you get comfortable and get ready to play to your heart's content.

 

"Absolutely I will, you kidding I still got an hour, let's go be a hero!"

 

Will you **HELP** them?

Will you **SAVE** them?

Will you be a  _ **HERO**?_

 

_*Yes                 No_

 

Are you certain?

_*Yes                 No_

 

Name the fallen monster.

 

A B C D E F G

H I J K L M N

O P Q R S T U

V W X Y Z

a b c d e f g

h i j k l m n

o p q r s t u

v w x y z

Quit Backspace Done

 

"Fallen monster? Huh."

 

 It takes you a moment of thinking, not of a name though but the question: *Why a fallen monster, am I not supposed to be Frisk? And aren't all monsters already underground?*

 

"OH, Wait! I'm supposed to be the protagonist in this I have to save everyone including Frisk, of course I'm not playing as them. But why a monster? Hmmm, oh well, I guess it doesn't really matter, plus I get magic! I better get magic, and it better be cool too!"

 

You were actually getting really excited; this was like a brand new game! An Undertale 2 if you will. As for a name you already had a pretty good idea, short, sweet, with just a little smidge of intimidation and mystery without sounding completely ridiculous.

 

Name the fallen monster.

**_C_ **

A B*C D E F G

H I J K L M N

O P Q R S T U

V W X Y Z

a b c d e f g

h i j k l m n

o p q r s t u

v w x y z

Quit Backspace Done

 

Name the fallen monster.

**_Ce_ **

A B C D E F G

H I J K L M N

O P Q R S T U

V W X Y Z

a b c d*e f g

h i j k l m n

o p q r s t u

v w x y z

Quit Backspace Done

 

Name the fallen monster.

**_Cet_ **

A B C D E F G

H I J K L M N

O P Q R S T U

V W X Y Z

a b c d e f g

h i j k l m n

o p q r s*t u

v w x y z

Quit Backspace Done

 

Name the fallen monster.

**_Ceth_ **

A B C D E F G

H I J K L M N

O P Q R S T U

V W X Y Z

a b c d e f g

h i j k l m n

o p q r s t u

v w x y z

Quit Backspace Done

 

Forgetting the logistics of it and what everyone has told you that you either spelled it wrong or pronounced it wrong, you kept it. To you, it was pronounced like _Seth_ and you liked it. You've had this name since for as long as you can remember and used it for literally almost everything, sometimes even for things that ask for your real name. It may also be the name of an original character of yours that you may or may not have drawn and created story's for about their amazing adventures.

 

Is this name correct?

**_Ceth_ **

_No                   *Yes_

 

Slowly the screen is consumed by white that progressively gets brighter until you're having to squint at the screen. Then suddenly it blinks out and all that's left is a completely black screen.

 

"..." You wait. "... um" The dog from earlier begins to bark again and you sigh... again... number five.

 

Making your way to the window feels more like a chore than anything and you just want to go back and sit down but this infuriating dog will just not give you a break. You really need to send a complaint about that dog because you're pretty sure that a good percentage of your angry outbursts are in part due to it finding new ways to annoy you. When you walk out of your room you're met with a momentary dull ache in your chest.

 

Grimacing you take a moment to rub soothing circles into your chest just above your heart while leaning against the wall for support. You were told that you might have to start taking it easy from now on but you haven't been having any problems in a long time so you're not sure what's bringing this on. Maybe you've just overestimated yourself.

 

Eventually, most of the ache has subsided but the dog continues in full force and it's enough to motivate you to keep going. You get as far as the mirror before that ache in your chest is back and with a vengeance. The intense pain in your chest feels, quite ironically, like someone has stabbed you and is twisting the blade. Gripping your chest you fall to the ground as you panic, gasping for air and voice failing you. You're not sure how long you're there writhing in pain unable to call for help between your few greedy gulps of air but it's not until everything begins to fade to black the darkness slowly consuming your sight to the point nothing is left that the horror of the situation truly sets in.

 

The last thing you saw is red eyes, your eyes staring back at you.

 

You're sure you find your voice long enough to scream but you can't hear it, only white noise and it's deafening. You are scared and panicking and somewhere in the back of your mind you know what's happening, you don't want to die. Squeezing the locket at your neck as well as your chest, you feel nothing but pain, you hear nothing but static, you see nothing but darkness, you struggle but to no avail. 

**Y O U A R E D Y I N G**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I'm working on going through the chapters and updating them, this one had a lot of problems with it so hopefully it is now much more readable. There is still nothing official so just be doing random updates to the chapters ever now and then. Nothing should have any important story changes but you can reread them if you want. Thanks for all the support and love! <3


	2. Falling Down

_"Would you like to meet this monster that you've created?"_

 

...

 

*...*

 

"..."

 

You open your eyes but all you see is darkness, trying to speak reveals that you can't. The events from earlier finally make their way to you and you're panicking again as you reach for your locket only to grasp at nothing or actually to not grasp at all.

 

The realization hits you, hard, you can't see, hear, breathe, nothing, the only sense you seem to have is to feel. Not like touch, though; you feel cold. After a few minutes maybe hours you’re not sure, you slowly stop panicking and force yourself to think.

 

*OKAY! Okay! Okay. Think, just think. Where am I? ...Alright, a stupid first question that can't be answered. Uhhh, how about why or how am I here...*

 

You pull the memory of the pain, noise, falling, and everything from earlier to the front of your mind and if you could you would shudder at the thought.

 

*A-am I... dead? How...*

 

You remembered the pain coming from your chest and if you could you would have clicked your tongue with a scowl.

 

*I knew I should have sued those doctors for every last penny. Then again I guess it is partially my fault too.*

 

It takes a few more moments of coming to terms with this revelation before you begin to calm down. Personally, this is all a little much for you, ignoring the obvious fact that it would be a little much for anyone, of course. You were never much of a believer of any sort of life or, in this case, consciousness after death. None-the-less, here you are having to come to terms with everything.

 

*So I guess I'm dead now and possibly a ghost.* You can practically feel your face contort with something between horror and fear. How is someone supposed to feel about being dead anyways? You're not even sure where you are or how long you've been here. There are some popular choices of your location but you'd rather not think of those right now.

 

Seeing something out the corner of your metaphorical eye is easy enough with the black background as contrast and shocking enough to quickly derail your train of thought. Willing yourself to turn and get a better look gives surprising results as you do, easily enough.

 

*Uhhhhhhh.*

 

You would have taken a moment to think about how you did that if you weren't so surprised. For a second you’re stunned and can't think; standing before you is a rather menacing figure, tall, dark, and imposing. It looks like a skull with a crack going from its right eye up its dome and another from its left eye down to its jaw. In this darkness he stands out like a sore thumb, you can tell that it, he? Is wearing a black coat with a white undershirt, no sweater, and seems to be hunched over a little, his hands, hanging from his sides, seem to have... holes in them, and he's frowning at you.

 

*he... he* This isn't funny, this isn't funny at all not even ironically. This is ridiculous, unbelievable... terrifying. *Huh... Soooooooo, I guess this is death?* You think in a questioning, slightly trembling tone.

 

*Ah, Mr. The Grim Reaper here to whisk me away to the land of the burning sea, my warden and fellow prisoner Luci the resident fallen angel must be waiting so patiently for me.* Sarcasm, grim humor, and diversion, not your best qualities.

 

"I do not know of what you are talking. You are not dead and I am not a part of you human's superstitious beliefs, I am Dr. W.D. Gaster"

 

*U... o-oh.* You're not a very emotional person but you have your moments just like everyone else, this is one of those. You feel like you're going to cry.

 

Pushing the fear down and the mind reading aside, you began to question why that name sounds so familiar? Come to think of it, he looks very familiar, it's like you know him but you just can't place how you know him. It constantly feels like you’re just about to make a breakthrough but it just keeps slipping away! Needless to say, it's really annoying and leaves you with a splitting pain where your head would be.

 

Gaster seems to notice your frustration, somehow, even with your lack of a face or a body for that matter. Wait, maybe he really can read your mind like earlier.

 

"You seem as if you are trying to remember me, I must advise against this I don't know how you knew me but it will only cause you to have a headache. And you are speaking out loud or rather manifesting your voice, not thinking. However, I'm guessing you are not foreign to that."

 

The need to smack him breaks to the forefront of your mind, doing your best to remind yourself that it's just your anger talking, you decide it would be better not to... maybe later. "Talk about sass. There's no need to be rude... wait. You said I'm not dead right?!" You say with all of the excitement of a normal six-year-old on Christmas morning. Although you're not completely convinced, you're much happier to know that at least someone thinks you're still alive. Even if that someone is a jerk and looks like they would make a killing in the horror franchise.

 

"Where are we? And how can I talk without a body? Where is my body?" You're about to continue your onslaught of questions before you notice Gaster's face.

 

Gaster seems to be rather annoyed maybe even angry as he speaks. "We are in a place I call the void it is in between the moments of time itself, you are able to speak, even without a body, here with the aid of your soul. If your soul is still intact then you are still alive, in a way, unfortunately." Gaster explains all of this to you with a look of disgust; you get the sudden urge to smack him even harder than you last wanted to.

 

Calming yourself you look at him in the eyes err eye... sockets? "Okay, so let's say I believe you for a second. Firstly, if I'm just a soul then I am actually dead so where is my body? ...Please don't tell me it's still lying face first in front of that stupid mirror, people will get ideas if they find me dead from a heart attack whilst in front of a mirror, that would just make everything perfect now wouldn't it." His face seems to shift from his previous scowl to one of amusement somehow; you choose not to question it. But take pride in the fact that you made him smile with your self-pity. Remember, he may be a jerk but that doesn't mean that you have to be one too! You've got your anger under control and you're no longer alone, just keep thinking positive, you got this.

 

"It does not matter to me whether you believe me or not, as for your body I believe what is left of it is behind you." He points one of his bony fingers to a location behind you and you follow it. Your metaphorical eyes would be widening in surprise.

 

Behind you is a gray heart, the first thing you notice though is the smaller practically blinding white heart inside of it that seems to have thin white veins coming from it and running along the whole of the heart. The sight of that light makes you feel so happy and warm but everything else is an extremely deathly dim gray glow, the very sight makes you uneasy, filling you with a sense of foreboding. Surrounding the heart is what appears to be black smoke and below that is a mass of what looks like black sand constantly moving in a vague shape of a person. Just a bunch of white on black on gray. You look back up at the heart and the memories come back like a flood.

 

"Undertale" you whisper. Looking at your soul fills you with a sense of protectiveness as though it could break any moment like it's very fragile, and an odd sense of being exposed like all of your secrets are there for everyone to see. Probably most noticeable is the feeling of emptiness you have with it all the way over there.

 

*It really is my soul, huh? Heh, the culmination of my monochrome being.* you do your best to keep that one an inside thought.

 

"I beg your pardon?" Ignoring Gaster you slowly make your way to your soul only for him to speak up again. "I have never seen or heard of a soul like yours; it is most definitely not monster nor is it human. It is foul." He pauses and you turn to him again. He's wearing his signature scowl, staring you down with what only feels like pure hatred.

 

"You are an anomaly you should not exist! You should not be here! Worse than that your very being, whatever it is you are, should not exist!" You're shocked by his yelling and you’re not sure what to say. "This is entirely all my fault, even worse are those brats tearing holes in the timeline every other moment!" You know exactly who he's talking about but don't voice it, making sure that it stays as just a thought.

 

To say you weren't frightened would be a lie but you made sure not to show it and now... now you're just mad. “Who are you to decide that I shouldn’t exist? I’m me and I am here! So what if you’re right! I have feelings; I’m alive and you have no right to question that!” You recoil on yourself and take a moment.

 

*No, control yourself you promised to try harder.* you look back to Gaster and realize he's not looking at you anymore; it takes you a second to realize what he is looking at.

 

He's staring down your soul.

 

You know that look he's giving it, fear floods your mind again as Gaster begins to lift his hands. You don't even think about it as your conscious practically flies to your soul, unknowingly behind you, a deadly weapon has materialized aimed to kill. What you do know is the sound of something charging behind you getting louder, you pick up the pace with only a few feet between you and your soul. As the weapon fires, you make it to your soul; it pulls your conscience in as it slams itself down into the black sand and everything is again nothing.

 

The next thing you notice is the sound of wind blowing past you and a bright light behind your closed eyes, opening them you see a circle of light with the sky beyond that slowly begin to shrink. You feel weightless and it takes you a second to put all this information together, you realize what is going on and you scream not taking note of the way your hands look as they flail out in front of you.

 

**Y O U A R E F A L L I N G**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think this chapter turned out to well what do you guys think.


	3. I Bet You Don't Curse God

_"There's pain, life hurts"_

* * *

 

  _"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" deafening_

_"EMERY! EMERY, WHATS WRONG!" run, ran, climbs, climbed, stairs, fall, falling, running. "EMERY!" opening, opened, darkness, Darkness, DaRkneSs, DARKNESS, DARKNESS, DARKNESS, DARKNESS, DARKNESS DARK, DARK, DARK, DARK. red.................................................................... "Emery? Emery, what's wrong?" sheet, sheeted, hiding, red, RED, RED, RED, RED, RED, RED "EMERY!" pull, lift, show, see, .....................................red. "Emery.............. Emery, hey Emer-" creaking, step, sound, turn, turned, turning, light, glint, bright, metal............ red. Fast, FASTER, PAIN, PAIN, PAIN, PAIN, PAIN, PAIN! PAIN! PAIN! PAIN! PAIN! PAIN! PAIN! PAIN!_

**I T H U R T S E V E R Y T H I N G H U R T S**

* * *

 

 

You clutch your chest as you have done almost every time you wake up with that nightmare; the rush of air into your lungs sounds more like a pained gasp from getting punched in the throat. Everything feels heavy, the most you're capable of is your wheezy breathing and even that takes considerable concentration. The Earth bellow you is cool and comfortable enough to lull you back to sleep; the shock from the nightmare is the only thing that keeps you awake as you can steel feel your screams edging at your throat and the panic each syllable carried. The sudden churning in your stomache is what has you quickly rolling to your side and from there to being on your left hand and both knees, dry heaving. In time, the moments between retching became longer and you switch from holding your chest to holding your locket as you begin your breathing exercises, with practiced ease, to calm what's left of the fear from the nightmare.

 

After a few moments, you begin to notice your surroundings. First the green of the grass and then the yellow of the flowers and come to the conclusion that you have no idea where you are or how you got here. All you really know is that you are exhausted and let yourself collapse again from it, rolling onto your back and grunting at the sharp pain between your shoulder blades. You must have landed right in-between them due to the pain seemingly originating from it.

 

Lying on your back again with your hands at your sides, you turn your attention upward and stare at the hole in the ceiling. It's dark probably night out but somehow still bright enough to see down here, you can't see how far it goes up but you do know that it was a pretty long fall.

 

"How did I survive that...?”

 

You ache and don’t want to move again, but putting the pain aside, you feel very weird all over especially your feet, face, and unsurprisingly your lower back which you dismiss because of the fall. Before you can think more about the weird feelings, aches, and pains you're interrupted. The flowers are just about as tall as your head and one of them, in particular, is being especially annoying as its leaning over your face, so despite your body’s protests, you swat it away and pause in stunned silence.

 

*...*

 

"..."

 

"What! What is...?!”

 

You're staring at your hand or at least what was once your hand; flipping it up and down, you slowly start to gather information, careful to control your breathing and failing you start to put it all together. Your once human hand is now a dark brown, fur-covered, padded, and clawed paw.

 

"Hah! Hehehe. Oh, oh wow. Uh, I'm still dreaming right; this can’t be real?" You can feel your face contorting in a foreign way to express your shock and it does nothing to help the increasing panic.

 

Spreading out the fingers and taking note of the loss of one of your digits as well as the ever so slight decrease in their length, you sit up and get a good look at both of your new paws.

 

You start to check yourself starting at your arms and pulling up the sleeves of your jacket, sure enough still fluffy brown fur all the way up. Pulling down your shirt a little from your neck, you look down and freeze seeing your chest covered in fur and that the scar is still there right above your heart like always, but that isn't what makes you pause. With the new way your eyes are focused as you look down, you can see something just slightly out of focus and quickly realize why your face feels so weird.

 

You take a breath and hold it as you reach one of your paws up; you're abruptly stopped when you make contact with the protruding part of your face. You slowly breathe out through your new mouth as you let out a small whine.

 

"Oh, God..."

 

Slowly you move the padding of your paw from your snout and up to the rest of your face, careful not to make contact with your new knife like claws; you notice just how sensitive both your hands and muzzle are as well as how short and blunt your muzzle is.

 

When you make it to the rest of your face you hold your head in both of your new hands, the full weight of the situation finally hitting you as you start to remember the details from earlier. You drop your hands in your lap staring at them with wide eyes.

 

“I'm a monster... I'm a brown fuzz ball of a monster! My soul is gray and white, Gaster just tried to kill me, I just fell from the top of a freaking mountain... I... did I die?!” Your voice cracking near the end.

 

Breathing is getting harder and your panic is rising, you take hold of your locket again to help calm yourself. You’re happy that it's still there the coolness of the metal is annoying your sensitive paws but it eventually warms up to your touch.

 

“This is insane!” You're successfully freaking out and as a nervous habit you go to scratch the back of your head with your free hand but make contact with something else.

 

"Oh my God."

 

All train of thought slows to a stop going completely blank as you feel the object protruding at a slight angle from the top of your head. It's twice as sensitive and fuzzy as your paws and you immediately knew by the loud obnoxious sound of scratching that it is, in fact, your ear. A grin breaks out on your face and you let go of your locket to cover your muzzle as a hysterical laugh builds up in your throat over the absurdity of the situation.

 

"Allen would be so disappointed in me right now, I probably look insane. Then again I probably look like the mascot at some sort of discount Chuck E. Cheese." After a few moments of laughter, you calm down. You’re still absentmindedly rubbing your ear noting how it’s pointed at the end and worry worms its way into the back of your mind.

 

"What even am I? Toriel, Asgore, and their son are goats; all the monsters seem to have a certain species or idea in correlation to them. So what am I?" Letting go of your ear you reach for your teeth opening your mouth and slowly feeling each fang. It does nothing to help you identify your species but helps you visualize what you must look like.

 

“Some kind of canine, I think? Then again all the Dreemurr’s have fangs and they're goats.”

 

The uncomfortable feelings in your feet and tailbone start to become more than you can ignore and you start at seeing to why that is. Looking at your feet, you can already tell by the shape of your socks what's wrong and that, those aren’t your feet.

 

You sigh and shift your legs close to yourself in a semi crisscross position so you can take off your socks for your brand new paws... feet... feet-paws? For your brand new feet to breathe but soon stop as you hear something moving behind you. Ears perking up and twitching in the direction of sound you quickly turn your head unaware of what to do if someone is actually there but are confused as you see nothing. You're about to play it off as your new ears being stupid when you see something right behind you slightly twitch, looking down you see a rather long and fluffy dark brown tail connecting itself painfully, due to your pants pushing on it, to your tailbone.

 

Another grin breaks out across your face as you let out a loud chocked laugh completely amused and maybe delirious with everything now.

 

“At least my sense of humor has been left untouched.” You say through small fits of laughter.

 

Still grinning and giggling slightly you pull off your socks to reveal two feet with three toes each and pads underneath them, still sensitive but not as much as your paw pads you assume it's because you have to walk on them. You wiggle your toes, amusement clearly visible on your face and you try to get up.

 

"All right let's see here." You get on your hands and knees, locket hanging limply from your neck, and carefully place your weight on your feet’s pads trying to figure out where to put the most weight as you push yourself off the ground.

 

~~~

 

It's starting to get brighter from the hole above you so you think it's about to be morning, after several attempts, cutting a hole with your claws in your pants for your tail, and a couple of painful screams as you fell and landed on said tail, you are finally able to walk up straight, although somewhat wobbly.

 

"Hah! Yeah, not so difficult, just need to get used to it is all." You've been down here for at least a few hours now and talking to yourself is slowly becoming the norm.

 

"This is actually pretty nice, far better than my previous setup anyways; feet are always cold and too weak to walk on anything not flat." You’re very glad that your overall anatomy is still the same so it's not overly difficult to get used to. You stayed in this room, alone, long enough that you are getting used to the new and... possibly improved body you’ve found yourself in, but now something else has you needing to move forward and the sharp pain in your stomach reminds you of what it is.

 

You stop and put a paw on your stomach as if holding it will make it better. "Why did I not eat breakfast this morning, what is wrong with me?" You are starving and beginning to get thirsty as well. You turn to the exit thinking back to where you are and you know what lies ahead.

 

*Flowey or well Asriel is in that room. But he wouldn't attack me, right? To him, I'm just some dumb monster, then again from what the game says he probably wouldn't lose any sleep tonight if he does decide to off me.*

 

You decide to make a couple more laps around the flower bed, that you assume broke your fall, as you fiddle with your locket and unconsciously swish your tail back and forth behind you slowly, your ears twitching and turning almost automatically in the direction of the slightest noise. You are so nervous and concerned you've let your mind wonder to the worst possible outcomes.

 

"Will Toriel even be there to save me if something does actually happen? She checks every day for humans, right? But that doesn't mean anything; I would still have to be there when she is." You stop pacing as your stomach growls again and you turn to your right to look at the passage out. Sighing outwardly, you work up the courage to continue onward; you need to find some food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are awesome!  
> 150 Hits  
> 20 Kudos  
> 8 Comments  
> Thanks so much! I hope you all like how I handled the whole monster bit, I wanted it to be somewhat similar to Toriel without being a copy of her. Again, please tell me what you think!


	4. But Nobody Came

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which many things happen but almost nothing gets done. Your claws are sharp, legs wobbly, and you should really pay attention to where you're going. We'll be in the Ruins for a while...

Your stomach gives you another growl as you approach the doorway to the next area where you know Flowey should be waiting. The irritation almost immediately leaves your face to be replaced by wonder and awe.

 

"Oh, wow..." You breathe the words as you stare at the complex construction.

 

"The way they show this doorway in the game does it no justice what so ever." It's much taller and wider than what you expected with several intricate patterns all across it as the two main pillars hold the most of the weight and the Delta Rune on the top pulling it all together. You wish you could have seen it when it was still new. You trace some of the patterns with you claw before continuing.

 

"Umm, hello is anyone there?” Before you lay a pile of grass lacking any flora at all. Your tail stills and your ears droop in disappointment.

 

"Umm, I know I'm supposed to be happy and all but I'm actually a little disappointed. Maybe sentient demon flowers aren't morning people?" You ask no one in particular.

 

Looking around and even behind you, you scratch the back of your head forgetting how sharp your claws are now and immediately pull back. "Ouch. Need to be more careful with these." You hold up your claws inspecting them closely as you stand on the grass. You notice dirt underneath them from all of your falls and absent-mindedly pick at it.

 

Being reminded why you left the last room by your very angry stomach which you look down at with sharp eyes as if to scold it, you notice you and your clothes are filthy. Even your new fur coat is filled with dirt and is completely disheveled. Seeing your coat like that makes you upset but you smirk thinking of a long standing joke in the Undertale community.

 

"The feeling of being completely filthy fills you with discomfort." You're well aware of your poor quality humor but still silently chuckle at it as you haphazardly wipe dirt off of you and your clothes.

 

After your self-pat-down, you stand back up straight almost falling over as you try to keep your balance, you're still not used to paws for feet.

 

"I guess I'll just keep going. I hope Frisk and Chara didn't come through here already or something, then again where else will they have gone?" You continue to walk forward making your way past a similarly awe-inspiring doorway.

 

When you get into the next room, you're silenced taking in the area as light floods into your vision, it's beautiful, the first thing that you notice is the royal purple everywhere, the next are the red leaves that you know are from the dead tree in front of Toriel's house, and finally is the symmetry of the room, you realize how much time and effort must go into keeping the Ruins in working condition and you find yourself respecting Toriel even more if that was possible. You slowly make your way to the stairs on the right side and huff, pouting like a child.

 

"Well, this is going to be greaaaaaat!" Sarcasm, lovely.

 

"At least, no one is around to witness me be a complete fool." You take ascending the stairs very seriously knowing the pain of landing on your tail and the fear of breaking your snout making you very cautious. Now impatient and hungry you quickly make your way through the door and are slightly surprised to see a puzzle.

 

"Oh yeah, I forgot about you. Now how do I solve this again, back two and then the front two I think?" You test your theory and aren't surprised at all when it works, after all with as many times as you played the game you better know what you're doing. Before you go through the door you read the sign to your left.

 

_Only the fearless may proceed._

_Brave ones, foolish ones._

_Both walk not the middle road._

 

Annoyed you realize with another huff that you're the foolish one, considering you made a deal with an unknown being or inanimate object to rescue an entire species from their imprisonment behind a magic barrier as well as the unending loops of resets... great now you're angry at yourself as well as nervous. Instead of waiting to calm you simply fiddle with your locket and go through the doors, almost tripping again and getting angrier at yourself.

 

You don’t notice the sign that is supposed to be there, telling you about how to read a sign, isn't and you ignore the sign on the end of the wall as you stumble all the way to the first of the two switches that you know need to be pressed. Before you pull it, however, you read the message to the left of it and give a silent chuckle.

 

_Please press this switch._

_-TORIEL_

 

You press the switch and begin to make your way to the next one while lost in thought, talking to yourself as per usual since being dropped down here.

 

"If these puzzles are meant to stop humans from getting through then why would yo- Whoa-AHHH!" You make it to the second bridge, not paying attention your mind goes blank and you scream as you slip and fall into the flowing water on your left. It's much deeper than you thought and easily engulfs your entire body, its freezing.

 

You panic from the sudden fall, weightlessness, and lack of oxygen. The current begins to push you past the bridge and you thrash around in the water disoriented and unaware of where to swim to get back up. You yell for help without thinking, the water quickly filling your mouth and lungs as it muffles your cries and slowly starts to suffocate you.

 

Suddenly two white furred paws grab hold of your arm and pull you out of the water. Quickly, they envelop you pressing you against the chest of a rather large being, soaking their clothes with your heavy and wet fur. They are holding you close in the warmest and most satisfying hug you have ever had, you feel safe in this moment as all previous worries and panic quickly dissipate to be replaced by a feeling of protectiveness that you didn't know was possible.

 

Someone came

 

Toriel's P.O.V.~~~

 

Toriel (YOU) put on a heartwarming smile as you usher a few of the froggits off the bridge leading to the Ruins patterned spike trap.

 

"Uh... um, excuse me." A whimsun flutters up to you and you look back at them with a reassuring smile, already aware of most whimsuns sensitivity.

 

"Oh good morning Iris, is there perhaps something you need?" You inquire with a tilt of the head.

 

Iris seems silently nervous for the moment, however, but you just patiently wait until she speaks again. "Oh no... I'm sorry... I don't really need anything forgive me... it's just that... I saw a new monster further in the Ruins..." Your eyes widen in surprise but Iris doesn't notice as she stares to the left and continues.

 

"They looked like they were hurt... they kept falling down and stood... wobbly..." Your eyebrows now scrunch together and you frown in concern at the statement. "I was too scared to check, though... I'm sorry..." Your face softens as the warm smile you used earlier comes back in full force.

 

"It is alright dear, but are you certain? There shouldn't be any way to the Ruins beside from my home unless they lived below with everyone else and wondered up here." Iris visibly deflates and begins to sweat after the questioning, you didn't notice but you let some of your ex-queen experience show.

 

Taking a breath Iris whispers "I can handle this..."

 

Iris looks back up at you as you continue to smile and she nods. "I'm certain... sorry... I was there about thirty minutes ago... they were just walking in circles stumbling every so often when I left."

 

Your face shifts back into worry. "Very well then, I must go and look for them and see if they are alright, thank you dear for informing me." Iris does nothing but nod and fly away as you make your way past the spikes mind racing for possible answers.

 

*I wonder how a monster could have gotten here without my knowledge, certainly they didn’t come from the lower part of the Ruins just to wander around here.* you get to the door right before the room with a dummy in it when you hear a scream and then a splash.

 

Without a moment's hesitation, you run through the door flipping a kill switch for the next room's puzzle. Making your way into the room you see water on the bridge closest to you. Running forward to peer into the river you see a dark figure in the water and immediately reach down to grab and pull up whoever it was.

 

You end up pulling out the soaked form of a dark brown furred monster that you have never seen before and looks a lot like yourself if not for the dog styled ears and longer tail. You hold them close to your chest and notice they're freezing; it makes sense, after all, the water does come from Snowdin. But what really surprises you is that they seem to only be a child, even without the striped clothes anyone could tell they were still very young.

 

You're snapped out of your thoughts when you feel the freezing form in your hold begin to shiver, picking them up almost like cradling a baby you hold them tight as you rush through the Ruins ignoring the stares others are giving you, you can't help it you’re afraid, terrified for this child’s well-being.

 

*I won't just let another child die!* you hear something come from them and stop to look at them. You see a sight that practically shatters your soul; two beautifully sad blood red eyes are staring straight into your violet ones.

 

"Do not worry, my child; I am taking you to my home at the entrance to the Ruins. You may warm up there." The soaked child closes their eyes and a slight panic envelopes you before seeing their chest slowly rise and fall again. You continue to your home, now more careful as to not wake them.

 

Ceth's P.O.V.~~~

 

*Were hugs always this nice?* you start to shiver still cold from the freezing water. Suddenly they pick you up laying your head on their shoulder as they hold you tightly and you feel like a child again. It's not a pleasant feeling reminding you of your parents and how once upon a time they cared for you. You slowly open your eyes and it's harder than it should be, looking up you realize who it is that saved you.

 

"Toriel." You whisper far too quietly for her to understand. But she seems to notice you as she turns to look at you and stop, she seems upset, then starts to say something but you can't quite make it out before you close your eyes and fall asleep.

 

* * *

 

_You open your eyes and see fire; you're panicking as you struggle to get out of the seatbelt. You hear shouting with several loud bangs coming from your right and you calm yourself enough to realize you’re in the backseat of your parents car, no ones in the either of the front seats. You shout for help. "MOM! DAD! HELP ME! HELP! SOMEONE!"_

**_but nobody came_ **

_Feeling the warmth on your back, you turn around and your panic rises again, the fire is behind and in front of you. The fire behind you is so close it's starting to burn the seat where the belt is connected and it only comes closer as you continue to panic and thrash around but the seatbelt just won't give and won’t open. You start screaming for help again as you struggle. "HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE! HELP, I NEED HELP! HEEEEELP!"_

**_BUT NOBODY CAME_ **

_The warmth becomes searing heat as it comes into contact with your back and you lunge forward, the seatbelt snapping off with the force aided by the fire that burned it, and you scream for someone, for anyone, for the pain. Is that really you screaming? It doesn't sound like you, it doesn't sound human._

**_B U T N O B O D Y C A M E_ **

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Whistles*  
> 227 Hits  
> 2 Bookmarks  
> Almost 30 Kudos  
> 12 Comments  
> You guys are awesome!  
> Please, leave me a comment on what you think and any errors there might have been.  
> And weren't you supposed to be the hero?


	5. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff with a little bit of angst bust mostly information and some liberties are also taken. A little bit longer as a thanks for over 300 hits!

_"Just know you're not alone_

_'cause I'm gonna make this place your home"_

 

You open your eyes screaming as you launch yourself out of the bed you're in, feet getting tangled in the sheets as you fall to the floor and quickly prop yourself up on your right elbow and hip, you lie on your side on the floor gasping for air. You reach for your locket only to grasp at a purple robe. Eyes widening in surprise, the air around you gets heavy as the room darkens, your confusion, anger, and panic rise at the knowledge of the missing watch. You frantically search the room eyeing every direction, as you begin to hyperventilate.

 

"Where is it?!" You scream and jump to your feet kicking away the covers and digging your claws into the closet next to the bed for balance, head turning left and right as your eyes scan the room you notice a small table with a lamp sitting in the corner but what catches your eye is what is next to the lamp: your locket.

 

You lunge in the direction of the corner oblivious to the scratch marks you leave on the cabinet and floor. Flying past the rest of the furniture you slam into the wall snatching the locket and almost knocking over the lamp. Squeezing the locket in your hands and holding it against your chest, you sit down hunched over next to the table as you pull your knees up to rest your head on. Taking deep slow shuddering breaths to calm yourself you don't notice the air get lighter as the darkness in the room fades to become brighter.

 

You sit there in that position for what feels like ages. Your attacks are getting worse, *Allen would definitely not be happy.*

 

Your breathing has begun to even out as you spread out your legs and sit up straight propping your back on the wall. You shift a little as to allow your tail to lie alongside your thigh; a hole was made in the robe for it or at least for someone else’s tail. You're just staring at the locket running the pad of your thumb over the top engraving lost in thought with a stern expression across your face.

 

"What even was that? Was that the crash? But didn't they say the injuries along with the trauma made it impossible for me to remember." You saw the security footage but the memories were gone and you were okay with that you didn’t want them. Sighing you put the locket back around your neck, the familiar weight making you infinitely more relieved.

 

"So much for medical and therapeutic professionalism." Your self-pity-party abruptly ends as the door to the room you're in suddenly opens revealing Toriel.

 

She looks at the bed with a shocked expression her eyes slowly following the devastation you left behind, from the bed to the sheets to the cabinet and then to you. Even with the lights off you can see the concern on her face which only furthers your bad mood. You do however get a good look at her from there and she’s a lot taller than you thought, you only get about chest high to her...

 

*Did I get smaller?* you push that thought away in favor for making what little of a good impression you can.

 

"Um, hi I'm sorry about the-" You're cut off as she dashes to you and gets down on both knees and leans over to check on you.

 

"Oh, my child, are you alright, what is wrong?! If only I came back from my rounds sooner!" She says hovering over you checking for any injuries.

 

"I'm fine, I'm fine." You say with a slight chuckle. She doesn't seem to believe you, however, as she leans back and sits on her legs staring back at you.

 

Second pass, where you silently think that most of the drawings and fan works are pretty accurate for how she acts and looks, only fluffier, and then you realize she's waiting for you to continue. Slightly embarrassed that you look like you were staring you do just that.

 

"I-I'm sorry I worried you." You look behind her at the mess you made ears drooping flat, tail swaying to hit the wall once before you focus on keeping it still, and reach to scratch the back of your neck, forgetting again that you have claws, not nails before you continue to scratch only with less pressure.

 

"Sorry about the bed, and the cabinet... and the floor." She turns to take another look at the mess before she faces you again. With a small smile which she covers with a paw, her shoulders start to shake up and down. A smile of your own creeps on your face as you look at her with disbelief in your eyes.

 

"Are you laughing at me?" She abruptly stops still smiling as she looks at you and knows, thanks to your smile, that you're not actually offended.

 

"I apologize, my child. There is no need to look so guilty, I am not mad at you for the mess you made only worried. What happened and why are you on the floor?" She questions as her smile fades into a frown.

 

Although you don't want to give her your lives story, you want even less to lie to her she did save your life after all. "I uh... I had a nightmare. When I have one I usually have my locket here to help me. It's very important to me and is sort of like a charm that calms me down." You lift the Locket from your chest to show it off.

 

"When it wasn't there I kind of... uhh freaked a little? But I'm fine and totally calm now, sorry again about the mess." It was becoming painfully apparent that you would need to stop your nervous scratching and apologizing.

 

Toriel sighs and looks down, you’re about to apologize again, despite what you thought, when she lifts her head revealing a sad frown. "I'm terribly sorry, my child. I had no idea that your locket meant so much to you. I'm glad that you're ok." Toriel’s frown deepens as she begins to look even more troubled. She balls her fists grasping and ungrasping her robes a few times before speaking again.

 

"I apologize but I feel as though I should ask." You give her a confused look as she meets your eyes with a serious stare that makes you shrink in on yourself. You feel your body straighten out as your ears and tail grow stiff, fur standing on end.

 

You sit there as she seems to be looking for the right words each second more agonizing than the last as she searches you with her steely gaze. *For such a kind woman she can be quite terrifying.* you think.

 

 "When I brought you here I thought it best to get you into some dry clothes... I noticed you had... scars." She saw your scars. Of course she did she changed your clothes, you didn’t even think about it.

 

You grab your locket fiddling with it and look away; Toriel takes notice and looks guilty before steeling herself again and continuing. You turn back to face her as to not seem rude. "I do not know the context of your injuries but one of the whimsuns, Iris, told me you might have been injured. She said that you kept falling?"

 

*Great so someone did see me.* Toriel smiles at your annoyed face but quickly frowns again.

 

"I attempted to heal your injuries with at least some success; at the very least all the scars look healthier and have become smaller." She says as she looks deeply saddened.

 

*Wait is that how I remembered some of the crash! She healed my head injury and some memories came back?* you reach for your forehead and touch your scar noticing how it's not as rough or long as before.

 

"Thank you... for healing me and saving me from drowning. I-" Toriel cuts you off with a hand in the air as she looks away closing her eyes. After you quiet she looks to you again.

 

"I felt your soul when I was healing you. My child... what happened? Your soul feels so sad and angry; it is in so much pain." You look away again upset she could tell so much. Images of your soul go through your mind and to your dismay, she continues. "I could also tell that you have killed... more than once."

 

Your blood runs cold as you slowly turn to see Toriel's intense stare, you feel so small compared to her. She's waiting for an answer.

 

"...Yes. Yes, I did." She visibly tenses at your confession and you act quickly to defend yourself.

 

"I didn't want to! They left me little choice I just...” you grit your teeth in frustration. It's been so long since you've cried but here you were on the verge of tears; you don’t want to think about what you did, it only left you angry and depressed each time; you’ve changed, you’re a better person, **you promised**. You try to quickly get your emotions in check until something you didn't expect happens.

 

Toriel wraps you in another one of her all-encompassing and infinitely comforting hugs as she starts to pet your head holding you close. You stiffen and plan on telling her you're fine as you choke down some of your sobbing but she beats you to it. "I didn’t think that you could be so cruel and I am glad to see I am right, that you are as kind as I thought. I didn’t think you could do something like that unless forced. I’m sorry you were put in such a situation, my child."

 

*Sorry, what did she have to be sorry for… it wasn’t her fault and how can she be so accepting she doesn’t even know the story.*

 

You choke down another sob and return the hug as you accidently dig your claws in her back. She winces and you loosen your grip but she still holds you tightly, comforting you. "My child, I noticed that besides the hate, anger, sorrow and pain in your soul there is kindness, compassion, and love. It may be small but it is there and it is far stronger."

 

After Toriel told you what your soul felt like you begin to let out all your frustration, anger, and sorrow in the form of snot, tears, and horribly shuddering breaths. After a bit, Toriel must have realized the two of you would be here for a while so she sat down against the wall pulling you into her lap and kept petting your head with you still holding on tightly. You never even think or care about the oddity of a nineteen-year-old adult being treated like a child, you were just so tired of everything and this was the most comfort you've had in months.

 

Eventually, you do indeed calm down, blushing and embarrassed for ruining Toriel’s clothes. You silently thank whatever God was out there that was responsible for your dark brown furs ability to hide it. “Thanks, I uh... I’ve been trying to be a better person. Guess I’m doing a pretty good job, huh?”

 

Offering a soft smile you're about to continue as you lean out of Toriel’s grasp and sit by yourself and rub your face but are once again interrupted by her. "Your soul is very strong so strong that I was very surprised; even though it is very rare I have no doubt that you are a Boss Monster." You stop wiping off your face to look at her, your ears pointing straight up in surprise.

 

*Wait what!* you did not expect that. You know what Boss Monsters are from the games lore Toriel, Asgore, and their son are all Boss Monsters.

 

You give her a confused look. “Don't you have to be born a Boss Monster by a Boss Monster family?” She giggles quickly covering her mouth with a paw.

 

"I see that you are confused, my child. And I don't think we've been properly introduced yet." She stands and turns to you ignoring the stains that you wince quietly at.

 

"I am Toriel Dreemurr, caretaker of the Ruins, ex-queen to monster kind, and ex-wife to Asgore Dreemurr the current king. I myself am a Boss Monster." She extends an arm for you to grab and you thank her, taking it as she lifts you up. She gives you a quizzical look at your easy acceptance so you quickly try to introduce yourself.

 

"I am..." You pause thinking for a moment, you remember your name just fine but for some reason you don't feel as though you should use it anymore; this is a new you, a new life. This is actually a blessing in disguise, you’ve been wishing for a second chance seeing as how your old life was in shambles and people often decided not to associate with the supposed crazy person. You remember the name you choose when the game asked you and you smile wide and extend your own arm for Toriel to shake.

 

Still beaming you speak. "Hello, Ms. Dreemurr my name is Ceth with a c." You're nothing if not formal and respectful.

 

Toriel seems taken aback by your sudden formality until she grins, shakes your hand, and begins to laugh. You pout crossing your arms.

 

*So much for formal and respectful.* you think with mock spite.

 

Toriel only laughs harder at your childish reaction until she calms in order to speak, amusement still in her voice with a smile as she does so. "Oh, my child, there is no need for such formalities you may simply refer to me as Toriel."

 

*Wow she really does like to refer to you as ‘my child’ even when she knows your name.* you’re not really bothered by the nicknames, in fact, you find it rather endearing.

 

You nod and Toriel starts speaking again. "I do not believe I have heard of a Ceth before, seeing as how Boss Monsters do not age when they become mature may I ask how old you are." You tell her and she seems to be infinitely happier if possible.

 

"Nineteen, so you are still very young, older than I thought, but still young." She says practically beaming at you.

 

*Excuse me? I mean, I guess in monster terms?* You're slightly irritated now as you raise an eyebrow, and let your tail sway slowly back and forth too bothered to worry about it.

 

"Well, my child, has anyone ever told you about how Boss Monsters work?" You shake your head and she looks somewhat unhappy.

 

"I wonder why that is. Well, Boss Monsters are very rare most Boss Monsters are born from other Boss Monsters but very rarely there are times when monsters can come together and have a Boss Monster child. Seeing as me and my ex-husband were the only Boss Monsters at one time, you must have been born to a monster family with normal souls. I am very glad to see that monster kind is finally starting to heal from the war." Ears perking up again you're enraptured with her explanation, never before have you heard of this and what exactly happened during the war?

 

*Did the humans kill all the Boss Monsters but Toriel and Asgore? ...That must have been horrible... maybe that's how they won so easily, absorbing the souls of their allies to use against them.* you scowl at the thought and Toriel, seeing your sour mood, quickly tries to change the subject.

 

 "If you don't mind me asking what are their names? Your parent of course." Toriel asks.

 

*NOPE!* you don't want to lie to Toriel but what choice do you have. Your actual parent’s names are painfully too human, although you’re not sure if that matters you don’t want to test your luck but you're drawing a blank for anything new.

 

*Ok whatever, forget it!* ... "I uh... don't know I never meet them."

 

*Smooth.*

 

Toriel looks very concerned.

 

*CRUD! Fix it! Fix it!*

 

You extend an arm and wave it dismissively. "But its ok I've been taking care of myself just fine."

 

Toriel looks deeply saddened.

 

*AHHHHHHHHHHHH! You idiot you call this fixing it!*

 

You're knocked out of your thoughts when Toriel gives you another one of her signature hugs. "I hope that I am not being presumptuous by offering but... my child if you wish you may stay here in the Ruins with me. You may have this room and there are so many old books I want to share. I could show you my favorite bug-hunting spot. I'm unaware of how much schooling you’ve had but I've always wanted to be a teacher and have a curriculum for your education if you need it."

 

Halfway through her explanation, you return the hug nuzzling the side of your face into the crook of her neck your cold ear warming nicely against her face, it's more pleasant than it should be you notice... somewhere in the back of your mind you realize since the change from human to monster affectionate contact such as this has been far too pleasant but you ignore it to continue the hug and listen to Toriel's offer.

 

When she finishes you know exactly how to answer her, partly convinced by the fact that you don't have anywhere to go anyway. It may be for and look like a child’s room with the bed only fitting you because you’re now slightly smaller but you accept.

 

"That sounds nice. Thank you, I would love to stay here with you."

 

Toriel beams at you probably from relief and happiness to have company again, you think. "That's wonderful I have a surprise for you by the way, can you guess what it is?"

 

You blink for a second until you finally realize the smell in your new room. Remembering the game you know exactly what the surprise is but opt to not make her think you're psychic. Smiling you give your answer. "Is it some kind of pastry?"

 

Toriel giggles as she extends her hand for you to take. "Come I'll show you around the house and you can see for yourself." You take her hand and remember that she said she did her rounds earlier.

 

*Didn't she do her rounds when she found me?* you think.

 

"How long was I asleep for?" You ask and she replies saddened.

 

"A day, give or take a few hours. I thought you had fallen down." Your shocked face stops her in front of the door and you quickly change it to one of amusement as you let out an honest laugh letting go of her paw in favor of cover your mouth. Beaming you look up at her confused face. It may be cheating because you know that she’ll love it but you don't care you need to cheer her up.

 

"You could say sleeping comes so naturally to me I could do it with my eyes closed!" You're very proud of yourself... somehow.

 

Toriel’s takes a second but then bursts into a fit of giggles and you quickly join in.

 

*This might just be the most fun I've had in the past several months.* You take her hand again when she offers it, rubbing your other paw over the locket and you both make your way out of the room.

 

The moment you walk into the hallway Toriel let’s go of your hand and turns to face you. "You may take a look around; after all, this is your home too now. I will be over in the kitchen checking on the surprise." She points to a room beyond the stairs and you nod as you look to the left.

 

*Oh, there are two more doors on the other side of the hallway. The game didn’t show those.* You're very curious so as Toriel turns to leave, you make your way to the door opposite of Toriel's passing the one next to your room and open it.

 

Seeing as it's just a closet with nothing out of the ordinary you glance at the room with the sign on it but decide that everyone is entitled to their own secrets and ignore it. You have your own metric ton of secrets to worry about so you make your way to the room opposite of your own.

 

Inside is a bathroom with a toilet, sink, mirror, towels, and a shower. "Huh........"

 

*I guess monster body’s work just like human ones, just made of magic and turn to dust.* A giant grin breaks out on you face as you try to hide your mirth from being too loud.

 

*I have discovered the first bathroom in all of the Underground!* You think to yourself as you do a poorly executed heroic pose in front of the mirror closing your eyes and fist pumping the air. Opening your eyes and standing back up straight you see your reflection for the first time since becoming a monster.

 

"Whoa...." Surprised you touch the left side of your muzzle with your hand. And lean in to get a closer look.

 

"I look a lot like Toriel and what is up with my eyes." You play off the way you look as coincidence or maybe just a boss monster thing as you very carefully VERY carefully, due to claws, pull the skin under your left eye down to get a better look.

 

Both of your pupils are more of a vertical oval now, only slightly though, but it's the color of your iris being dark red that unnerves you. It's a color you don't particularly like all that well, simply put it makes you uncomfortable.

 

Leaning back, you take in the differences you do have from Toriel, besides the obvious scar above your left eye, dark brown fur, eyes, and dog-like ears everything is pretty much the same.

 

*Maybe I’m some sort of canine.* seeing as you already know how some of the other monsters look you were actually pretty happy about this.

 

"I guess I lucked out, huh?" You half whisper.

 

"What was that my child, I didn't hear you?" Toriel appeared without warning from behind the door and you jump as she giggles again.

 

"I'm sorry did I startle you, my child?" She asks.

 

There's your shit-eating grin again. "No just a little _hoppy_ to see you." She gives another laugh only a little louder this time and you make a mental note to think up more puns for later. "I was just thinking of how lucky I am to be here." Not technically a lie you think.

 

Her smile widens as you tell her that and she beckons you to follow her, obliging you both make your way to the dining room.

 

"I'm happy to have you here as well. Especially now that I know you are a lover of puns too." She smiles at you as you sit down with some effort, moving your tail to a comfortable position takes a while, and she continues to the kitchen.

 

You yell a little so she can hear. "I just dabble is all, nothing much."

 

You hear a giggle come from within the kitchen and you know what's coming. "Well in that case maybe I could give you a _tu-toriel_?"

 

You give and undignified snort, laughing loudly and cover your face embarrassed, Toriel only laughs louder from the kitchen at her achievement.

 

*She! Did! Not! Oh, my god!* You've read that pun more times than you could count but that only seems to make it all the better coming directly from her.

 

She then walks out with a pie in her hands looking guilty much to your confusion. "I'm terribly sorry. I neglected to ask you if you would be okay with butterscotch and cinnamon. If it isn't okay I could prepare one of my famous snail pies instead if you'd like."

 

Oh, you had forgotten about those. Toriel loved her snails; they would probably be in every other meal. The thought makes you shiver you'll just have to get used to it for the time being or pick up cocking again.

 

"I'm fine with both." You say and she smiles setting down two plates as she begins to cut.

 

~~~

 

You're having trouble holding your fork... yeah paw pads, claws, four fingers; your new hands are just a little bit harder to work. The glass of water though that Toriel provided is easy enough to lift but almost impossible to completely keep the water in your mouth without taking slow sips. You're getting annoyed when Toriel takes notice.

 

"My child, is something matter?" Toriel looks beyond concerned. Bless her soul she cares so much and it makes you feel so guilty.

 

"I uh... I'm just a little fatigued is all." You dismiss her worries with a wave of your hand. "You said a whimsun told you I was injured because I kept falling, right? I was just tired." *I wish I didn't have to lie and please don’t notice how I’m still tired after a day of sleep.*

 

"I suppose making your way to that part of the Ruins can be exhausting. If I may ask where did you come from exactly? I have never seen you in the lower city and my home is the only connection to the rest of the underground. ...Why did you come here?" She hesitates on the last question almost as if she's uncertain she should be asking.

 

You have to act quickly or Toriel might get suspicious. Fidgeting with you locket you give her another lie. "I uh, stayed down in the city just doing my best to get by. I made sure to stay out of the way of most people, though, so it isn't really surprising that we haven't met before. As for why I'm here I..." Actually, you might be able to use this to your advantage.

 

"I heard a rumor that a human fell down here and I got curious. I don't really believe in the stories that humans are all evil, their just people like us so while there must be bad humans I just can't accept that they are all cruel. So is it true, did a human fall down?!" You look up at Toriel with excitement *Maybe I can get some answers!* but notice a tear in her eye and thinking you must have said something you shouldn't have you're about to apologize when she gets up.

 

She practically runs around the corner of the table as she all but leaps from her chair going to where you sat next to her and pulls you into another hug, the tear from earlier getting soaked up in her fur.

 

"I am so happy to know that our youth no longer holds hate for humans. The barrier was cast a very long time ago, no doubts any human from then would not even be alive to take the blame for their actions. Maybe when the day comes for us to leave the underground we will have an easy time living peacefully with them."

 

Toriel is petting your head again and your tail starts to wag before you put a paw on it to stop and try to keep your cool like you don't enjoy the affection.

 

"Yeah, that sounds like fun." You say with a goofy smile. *I really got to find a way to help everyone get out of this mess.*

 

Toriel leans back with one last pat that leaves you rather upset... *Wait.*

 

*What am I some house pet!* you’re bitter now and remember that she neglected to answer you about the human so you ask her again.

 

"While it is true that if a human comes to the underground they will have to fall here in the Ruins, none has come here in a long time. I'm sorry to disappoint your curiosity." Toriel says.

 

"It's okay." *It's really not.*

 

You and Toriel continue to talk casually over a slice of pie and a glass of water for her and two slices of pie with about three cups of water for you. Eventually, you have to relieve yourself so you excuse yourself from the table to do so.

 

*Monster bodies really are just like human ones huh? Or, at least, Boss Monster bodies are.* You frown slightly mumbling under your breath. "So much for a body of pure magic."

 

~~~

 

"Thank you for the pie. Please let me clean up." You get up and take both plates when Toriel comes to stop you.

 

"Oh, my child I can take care of this please sit down." She holds a hand out to take the plates a silent gesture for you to give them but you don't.

 

"That's alright I like doing chores they help me to think. Maybe after I finish cleaning them you can show me one of the books you talked about?" She stands there for a moment frowning before she smiles again, nods, and walks over to the bookcase.

 

"Very well, my child I will just find a book then." She says.

 

You head into the kitchen with a quick glance to see what all is there and place the plates in the sink, then head back and bring the what's left of the pie to place on the counter. You didn't lie about liking doing the chores after years of doing them for your family you've grown to be rather self-dependent and actually like the time alone you spend doing them. They really do help you to think. You start washing the cups first as you idly think about how annoying wet fur is.

 

*Why isn't Frisk and Chara here? Did I replace them in the timeline or something and they aren't coming? No, no, no, that’s impossible, you were told to save them and everyone else, they were specifically mentioned in the intro. Speaking of saving everyone how exactly am I going to go about doing that?!*

 

You stop for a moment to breathe and calm down as you hold your locket, in the hopes of restarting your train of thought without being derailed this time. Successfully calmed you get back to work.

 

*Okay, think specifically what did the intro give you hint wise? Save them, help them, be a hero; Chara and Frisk are playing co-pilot together so that's nice no unplanned genocide. Wait! The date in the intro! It was September 15, 2015, the games release date! Wait, what's today?*

 

"Hey. Toriel do you mind telling me the date?" You hear a hum and some rustling then the flipping of paper.

 

"It's the 18th of August 2015 may I ask why you wish to know?" She asks.

 

"No real reason just curious since I slept so much." *That's right I got here two days ago and I fell unconscious twice. So if I'm right everything starts on the 15th of September meaning I have........... twenty-eight more days to get situated before I meet with the dynamic duo. But for now, I should just get situated; I’ll think more about it when I go to bed. Speaking of going to bed I should warn Toriel about my restless nature before she finds out on her own.*

 

You get done with the dishes and find their home under the cabinet placing them back you make your way to the door giving your locket a quick brush with your hand. You desperately want to save them all but don’t know how; that’s just going to have to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW! When did this get over 300 hits and 30 kudos!  
> 313 Hits  
> 36 Kudos  
> 4 Bookmarks  
> 16 Comments  
> You guys are all awesome and thank you so much for the support! I probably made some errors but I overall like how this turned out. Please, leave me some feedback and tell me what you think.


	6. Battle Scars

_"HOPE is so much stronger than fear."_

 

Somewhere within the void.

 

Dr. Gaster’s P.O.V.~~~

 

"This is certainly new." You've been in the void ever since the explosion kicked you out of the timeline. The void has always been hungry, wanting more and more until it eventually takes everything.

 

But now it's almost as though it wants you gone, like your presence here is no longer allowed.

 

"This is amazing, it should be impossible even if the timeline were to be destroyed." It's been so long since anything has really peaked your scientific interest; you want to learn why this is happening.

 

"NO! No, focus this is wrong! No doubt my actions have caused this as well. The timeline must be more unstable than I thought to cause something like this. But why now, what has changed?" Obviously, only one thing comes to mind.

 

"Him, the one with the mismatched gray and white soul, it has to be him!" The void shudders again, sending shockwaves not only through you but everything and everyone else that was taken out of the timeline thanks to you.

 

"It's getting stronger. Eventually, it may begin to destroy everything within it. What will happen to all of us then I wonder?" The void sends another shockwave and you ring your boney fingers together behind your back in thought.

 

"I must end this. The timeline is already too far gone, even if it is at the cost of my life or the lives of several, the end will justify the means." It will take a while but you begin to prepare for what you know you should do, for what you have to do.

 

Ceth's P.O.V.~~~

 

* * *

 

_The seatbelt snapped and you lunged forward screaming; you bound for the car door all that you can think about is getting away and the pain, there was so much pain._

_Pushing the door open as hard as you can it makes contact with something on the other end and you hear the sound of something heavy hit a hard surface presumably the ground and the door gives way. The moment you hit the ground you roll onto your back in the hopes to stop the pain of the fire that continues to burn; the moment that the fire is put out you’re on your hands and knees trying to get you bearings._

_Your breathing is ragged and you can't focus with the searing pain that was left by the fire. You feel it before you actually register what it is you're looking at, it's wet and warm it's all over the ground; you lift your hand to look and all you see is red._

_"Blood?" You feel ill as your mind races for an explanation._

_*BLOOD! AM I BLEEDING! IT'S EVERYWHERE!* Your thoughts stop as you see something move to your left and you turn to get a better look but stop at the object in front of you on the floor._

**_I T S A G U N_ **

* * *

 

 

Four days. Four days you've spent in the Ruins with Toriel without a single nightmare or more like forced memory and six since this all started. Ever since Toriel healed you the nightmares feel real, unlike the ones you’re used too, so when you wake up it takes you a moment to realize you aren't actually in a wreck and you flail around before sitting straight up, squeezing your locket, and taking deep breaths.

 

The lights flicker on as the tension in the air you didn't know was there begins to lifted.

 

You feel something touch your back and you flinch, the feeling goes for a second before it comes back more gentle this time and rubs slow circles in your back. After a moment, you register a voice calling your name.

 

"Ceth? Ceth are you all right, my child?" The voice sounds familiar... oh; you remember you know this voice.

 

"Toriel?" You say as you're pulled slowly into a hug as you still hold onto the locket. Toriel is still rubbing small circles on your back as she hums a familiar tune that you can't quite place how you know.

 

"My child, I know that you said that you had nightmares but I was not aware that they were so violent. Are you alright?" She asks you with concern and slight panic clear in her voice.

 

"I-I'm going to be fine. Just need a moment is all." She doesn't let you go and you don't protest as she continues to rub you back and lay her head on top of yours. You can feel the vibration of her humming and it only furthers to calm you; after a moment, you put a paw on her arm and slowly lift yourself up with her help.

 

"Thank you, I'll admit that was one of my 'really not good ones. I'm good now though." You say with a hollow laugh.

 

Toriel sighs before she stands and speaks again. "Very well my child, but we will talk about this later as we make our rounds." She gives you a stern look that only a mother could perfect; it practically screamed I will get my way. You knew it all too well.

 

"Sh-sure if you want." You really didn't want to, you just wanted to help her with her rounds as you both just talk and work on keeping the Ruins in good condition but she nods, turns, leaves, and closes the door behind her.

 

"Well, I guess I should get ready."

 

It took some convincing and several tries but you finally convinced Toriel to let you help her with the chores. Toriel wanted to make sure you had plenty of time to study but after showing her you got at least some sort of education she accepted, although, very reluctantly. You only have two real problems one is with history which is understandable seeing as how you've never heard of monster history; math also sucks but you're good enough.

 

The other real problem is with magic. Every monster can use magic and from what you've learned each monster has magic they are proficient with, such as Toriel and fire magic. But that doesn't mean nobody but she can cast that certain type of magic it only means she is strongest with that type. It makes sense really; imagine Grillby shooting ice from his hands.

 

Another thing that you learned is that some monsters can acquire a power or ability that is specifically only theirs and is attached to their very soul; although, it can be passed down. These monsters are always very strong with powerful souls; Toriel believes that you might even have one. Even monsters that start out weak can train to get stronger in order to get a ability. She said that her power was her masterful healing magic, sure other monsters can use healing magic but Toriel is on another level with hers. She said that using powers usually take far more magic that normal and can tire you out very quickly.

 

Toriel has been trying to teach you magic for the past three days with no luck. Lying about why you can't use magic even when four-year-old monsters could at least do simple things, was no easy task.

 

Needless to say, you aren't good with magic... in fact, you're horrible with it and you haven't used a single bit of magic since you got here. The closest you came to magic was how you got yourself cleaned up.

 

Speaking of getting cleaned up…

 

Forget everything you said about this new body being good, fur is impossible to work with, it gets everywhere, it's heavy when wet, you practically fund entire shampoo companies, and no one should dare get you started on brushing all that mess. Your fangs aren't as bad, though, when you were human you didn't really pay much attention to dental hygiene but Toriel refuses to let you do anything without properly brushing. Easiest to deal with are your claws, a simple filing and they become round and smooth allowing you to hold things much easier.

 

~~~

 

You've done most everything now, putting on some pants that Toriel brought two days ago and carrying some purple robes with the delta ruin, you walk back into the bathroom. You take a seat on the stool you brought in leaving the door open and all you really need to do is brush your upper body before putting on the robes.

 

You find yourself jokingly wishing that the burns on your back were still just as bad as when you had them before you met Toriel; they shrank significantly when she used her healing magic. Now the usually one huge burn is three smaller blotches on your upper back that no longer hurt like it used to. The only drawback is more fur to brush.

 

"Ceth my child, don't forget to brush your teeth." Toriel calls from the other room.

 

"I already did. I'm brushing my fur right now." She really treats you like a kid and although it sometimes gets annoying it's really nice and always makes you feel cared for. Toriel was good like that she always made you feel loved; she really would or is going to be an awesome mother.

 

"Don't forget to brush your back." She says.

 

"I won't." She babies you just like your own mom used to. Back when she had the time to take care of you she would act just like this always hovering over you double or even triple checking that you did or that she did everything that needed to be done for you to stay healthy and happy. It is slightly annoying but fills you heart with warmth every time.

 

"Make sure you get the loose fur."

 

*Wow, she really is like the way mom was.* The thought of someone caring for you like that again brings a smile to your face as you rub your locket, memories resurfacing. *Emery would have loved it here.*

 

"Ceth?" She says with a slightly demanding tone. You sigh knowing that whenever she actually said your name it was almost always the equivalent of being scolded.

 

"Yes, Toriel I'll make sure to get my loose fur." Unfortunately for you some monster bodies like yours and Toriel’s operate very similarly to humans. This means you do many of the things that you did when you were still human.

 

Monster biology is very interesting to you and you decided to learn as much about it as possible, seeing as you now have a monster body, you even got a book or more like a journal from Toriel about it. Probably the most interesting thing that you learned was that even though all monsters bodies are entirely made of magic some are extremely similar to humans in many ways. Your entire body is made of magic but you still have organs that go through the same processes as humans. Some monsters like yourself and Toriel even bleed; sure the blood is made of magic and will eventually turn to dust but still it amazes you how actually similar you are to a human which, now that you think about it, explains how Asgore could get poisoned with buttercups and be affected similarly to human.

 

Even things like hair deteriorate at a rate similar to humans and won’t turn to dust until it fully does so which explains the fur everywhere especially in the sink and tub, or until you die in which case everything you are will become dust. The thought of dying like that actually terrifies you; all in all the new monster body isn’t as good as you thought it was.

 

Monsters aren’t actually as weak as you thought either, they're actually pretty tough not as tough as humans but tough nonetheless. You aren’t surprised the other children died, in fact, Frisk would probably be dead as well if it weren’t for their abilities.

 

Once you finally finish getting ready Toriel checks to make sure you did a good enough job. Apparently Toriel can’t shake her motherly instincts even if you’re technically an adult and you briefly consider telling her to stop but don’t.

 

~~~

 

You're walking past were Napstablook is supposed to be in the game, you've yet to meet the shy little spirit but you would love to before the next twenty-four days. Toriel is in the other room you just came from she stopped to have a chat with a couple of the froggits.

 

You only stopped for a second to say hi to Bungie. Bungie is a froggit with an attitude and a crude sense of humor but he's probably been your closest friend in the Ruins for the past four days. You would have stayed to chat but he seemed busy with... flirting... with the other froggits, so you continued cleaning what little messes you could see.

 

You see some of the leaves strewn about where Napstablook usually is and stop to fix them, crouching down as you focus on keeping your tail from wiping away the work you've already done.

 

"You used magic." A voice from behind you says.

 

"What do you mean?" You turn to face her. "I've never used magic, you know that."

 

"When you had your nightmare you did." Pushing the rest of the leaves in their places, you stand and give Toriel your full attention.

 

"What do you mean?" You ask her with a tilt of your head but before she can answer you put the pieces together yourself. "You're saying that I unintentionally used magic while unconscious? Is that even possible?"

 

*Doesn't it require a lot of concentration.*

 

"It is very much possible, my child. Sometimes monsters have dreams that make them use their powers by accident; sometimes they have nightmares... and use it to defend themselves from an enemy that isn't really there." You think that makes sense like the monster equivalent to sleepwalking which they probably do as well.

 

*So I can use magic!*

 

You were excited at the idea of using magic and were saddened when you couldn't. But now Toriel is saying you can. Then as quickly as your excitement came it went and you looked at Toriel horrified as you finally put the pieces together.

 

"To defend ourselves? What did I do?" She looks at you startled by your sudden change in appearance and tone then seems to come to a conclusion.

 

"If you are worried you have hurt someone or damaged something there is no need to." She reassures and you visibly relax if only a little. "I said we would talk about this and I guess I will start my child. At the very least we now know what type of magic you specialize in."

 

That catches your attention. "What is it?" You ask.

 

"Electricity."

 

*Electricity, huh. That's cool. Then again I guess that doesn't really mean much when I know nothing about magic.*

 

"Although it was small I could see and feel the static in the air as you affected the lights in your room." Her smile looks strained as she stares at you. "Monsters are very sensitive to the intentions of magic and yours felt... terrified as if your very life was in danger. My child, I would like to know what happened to you but if you're not ready I won't force you to."

 

Sighing you take a seat in the red leaves using the wall as support and motion for Toriel to join you. Toriel stands there for a moment contemplating but comes over to sit next to you anyways and you begin.

 

"I guess first I should tell you the truth." She gives you a look of confusion and you refuse to look at her, you’re ashamed for having lied when she has been nothing but hospitable to you; opening up her home, helping you heal, giving you necessities that you lacked, and even going as far as trying to keep you entertained.

 

*What have I done for her; clean up a few messes, help on her rounds? Is that really all?* you frown at the dirt and fiddle with your locket; after a moment, that Toriel was kind enough to give, you continue.

 

"I lied about not knowing my parents. I don't like to think about them much they were good parents don’t get me wrong but they just…. weren’t there much and I resented them for it.” Allen sure enough helped you realize that. “One day I and my parents got in an accident and they died. The whole incident left a hole in my memory as well as a scar on my forehead and burns on my back. I couldn't remember what happened in the accident but ever since you healed me my nightmares have been about it. I still don't remember it all."

 

Toriel doesn't waste a moment as she pulls you into another hug. You almost protest but stop as soon as she starts to pet the back of your head. She is way too good at that and you make a mental note that you really need to get control or it will definitely become a problem.

 

"You have been through so much, my child. Most monsters would not have the HOPE to continue but that is not all, is it? What of your other nightmares and the scar on your chest?" You tense in her arms and she takes notice. "I don't mean to pry, my child. You don't need to tell me yet if you don't want to but I think it would be best if you shared your story with someone."

 

"Yeah. I think... I'll keep that one for a little while longer." You somehow managed to not cry this time. Instead, you return the hug burying your face into the side of her neck.

 

"Let's finish up and make our way home. I can make my famous snail pie. Afterward, we will be trying magic again." Toriel offers as you both let go and stand up.

 

"That sounds nice, thanks." Toriel nods and continues to the next room while you stand there and collect yourself.

 

"Oh, having better luck than me I see. And with the caretaker of the Ruins no less! You sly little devil you."

 

"EXCUSE ME!" You push yourself off the wall and turn to the left. Looking at the entrance to the previous room you see Bungie wearing a smug grin and staring at you.

 

"I'm just so proud of you." He wipes at nonexistent tears and continues. "We've only been friends for the past four days but I've already managed to mold you into the perfect ladies man."

 

"Oh please, if you've taught me anything it's that 'the ladies' don't like it when you use the same horrible pickup line over and over again and worse when you forget that you used it on them. Also, no. Toriel is... like my mother." You say while crossing your arms.

 

"Oh, Ceth you wound me!" He places the back of his palm to his forehead as he looks away. "Wait." He's staring at you again. "Did you say that Toriel is your mother?"

 

"No! I said that she was like my mother." You’re blushing but it’s almost impossible to see with dark brown fur which seems to be one of the few things you actually appreciate about becoming a monster.

 

"This is perfect!” You give him a curious look. “You can totally hook me up with her, dude! I have just th-"

 

"No." You cut him off with a blank expression.

 

"No?" Bungie looks at you questioningly.

 

"No." You repeat not losing your stoic expression.

 

"Aw, c'mon buddy." he hops over as you walk away. "Let's just talk about this, just for a second, all you need to do is put in a few good words for me no big problem."

 

"It's not going to happen." You continue to clean as you promptly ignore Bungie's attempts at you helping with his hopeless love life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personally, I like the name Bungie what do you guys think?


	7. Flowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magic lessons

_“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.”_

 

Sixteen days and fourteen left your nightmares haven’t gotten worse nor have they gotten better. You and Toriel have been focusing intently on your magic studies and today is the day that you finally have a breakthrough. You’re both outside Home in front of the tree where your watering can and shears are sitting and you’re standing. You’re facing Toriel with your hands in the air like you’re holding an invisible ball as sparks of bright blue electricity pop between your fingers.

 

“Hah! Finally, look Toriel I finally did it!” After twelve days of learning magic with no success until now, you are completely thrilled to finally be doing some no matter how small. Toriel simply chuckles at your enthusiasm before commenting.

 

“Indeed, you did, my child. Now you just need to learn how to use it.” She says while smiling at you.

 

“And how do I go about learning how to control it.”

 

“Well magic is a part of you; it is born from your soul and takes life from its power. Your magic exists because you willed it into existence using the power of your soul which it lives off of, in essence, your magic is a part of you. The stronger the soul the stronger the magic with more options, but intent is everything.” She says.

 

“What do you mean intent is everything?” You quietly ask her while still focusing on the electricity between your fingertips.

 

“Well, your soul is the very culmination of your being holding everything that is you. This is the source of your magic, you use your soul to cast magic but it is the intent of why you cast the magic that gives it meaning.” Your face scrunches up in confusion. You’re unsure if Toriel notices your confusion or not but she continues. “So let’s say that your soul is filled with hatred and LOVE for the reason you’re using it; the magic will draw power from your soul and become far more destructive. Now let’s say that your soul is filled with kindness and compassion for the reason you’re using magic; it will become almost harmless because you don’t actually want to do any harm. Depending on the depth of your feelings your magic can become stronger or weaker in many different ways.”

 

You already know most of this from the game such as the general idea of intention and LOVE but this is a lot more in depth and tricky than you thought it would originally be.

 

“So basically if I wanted to hurt someone with my magic it would reflect that and cause more damage and if I wanted to help someone it wouldn’t hurt them. But what if I didn’t have any ill intentions but still wanted to cause some damage like uhh… a sparring match?” You say still focusing on the lightning in your hands careful to keep it going; you’ve yet to feel fatigued from the use of magic but this little bit doesn’t consume much anyway.

 

“That is also a part of intention, my child. Your intention may be to cause damage but you don’t actually want to hurt your sparring partner nor kill them, so you can cause damage but it won’t be as significant as if you actually intended to kill. Now, that doesn’t mean accidents don’t happen; many monsters have killed even when it was not their intention because they could not control their magic.”  She says as she walks closer to you only about two feet away from your magic.

 

Still focusing on keeping your magic going you make sure not to look Toriel in the face as you grimace. “And what if I had no ill intentions but still… but still had LOVE…”

 

Toriel laughs and you pout focusing on continuing your magic, it’s the first time you’ve consciously done it and you won’t let your embarrassment get in your way. “My child, what are you feeling right now?”

 

You almost break concentration this time but quickly regain composure.”Umm, honestly? I feel a little embarrassed-“ Toriel giggles again and you do your best to ignore her. “I also, feel happy that I finally got the hang of magic if only a little.” You smile at the electricity dancing around your hands and fingers.

 

“Then if that’s the case excuse me, my child.” Before you could question what she meant by that she sticks her hand in between yours as your electricity dances around her paw making her fur stick up. You abruptly stop afraid you’d hurt her, but when you look up she’s just smiling at you; curiosity takes over and you timidly move both of your hands back around hers with only a little bit of space in between as you let your electricity arc off of your fingers onto her hand and back.

 

“Doesn’t that hurt? Its electricity it should be shocking you, right?” You ask.

 

“Your intentions aren’t to cause harm or damage and you have only happy emotions to accompany it, so no, it doesn’t hurt, my child. It does tingle a little though but all magic makes that feeling when you come into contact with it. As _shocking_ as it is LOVE can only aid you in causing the suffering of others while love aids you in helping others.” You groan at the pun but thank her anyways.

 

“So that’s how you could tell so much about me when I used my magic while having a nightmare.” She tells you that you’re right and you stop your magic. “Well, I promised Bungie I would hang out today at the flowers like always, sorry and thank you for the lessons.” As much as you want to continue to learn magic, it’s getting close to when you always meet with Bungie and hang out next to the flowers.

 

Sure you had something you needed to do but Frisk and Chara aren’t even here yet, you’ll just wait for them and then get to work… Sans would be proud.

 

“It is alright, my child please go have fun but be careful.”

 

*There’s her motherly concern* “Of course I will, you should be telling that to Bungie.” Toriel looks at you a bit concerned. “Its fine I’ll make sure we both stay out of trouble.” She sighs and walks toward Home.

 

You’re about to go when she calls your name and hands you a bag of candies asking you to refill the bowl when you go past it; you take the bag, say bye again, and continue out and to the right with your watering can and shears.

 

~~~

 

You enter the room with the candy bowl inside and see a whimsun sitting beside the pedestal. You haven’t seen this whimsun before then again you haven’t really seen many whimsuns as they usually fly away from you so you decide to say hello.

 

“Hello, my name’s Ceth. If you’re waiting for the candy I’ve got it right here.” You open the bag for them to see and they fly a little closer so you offer one. They hover there for a second but timidly accept your offering.

 

“Umm, thank you. My name is… Iris.” You know that name it’s one of the few names you’ve heard down here.

 

“Oh! Are you the one that told Toriel about me? If so, thank you, if it wasn’t for you Toriel might not have been there to help me when she did.” You give them a soft smile hoping that your fangs aren’t showing and that you aren’t very intimidating. Iris blushes a little at the honest gratitude from you and looks even more nervous if possible.

 

“Oh… it was nothing really… but uh y-you’re welcome. I… thank you, for the candy I’m going to go… bye.” You frown  as they begin to leave but say your goodbyes with a wave until they fully exit then you fill the bowl and continue on your way saying hi to everyone you pass.

 

~~~

 

When you get to the flowers you see Bungie lying down in the middle of them sleeping away without a care, so naturally as the amazing friend you are you lift up your can and dump some of the water on his head laughing as he freaks out.

 

You’re still laughing holding your stomach as he starts to speak. “Dude! That was so not cool man, I was having the most amazing dream too!” You calm down as you use your sleeve to wipe the matted fur under your eyes from your tears.

 

“I’m sorry I just couldn’t pass up such an opportunity besides it doubles as a lesson.” He stares at you as he starts shaking off the water waiting for you to continue. “You know humans fall from that hole, right?”

 

“C’mon dude what are the chances that some human is going to fall down here anyways? From what I hear there hasn’t been a human that’s fallen down here in a very long time.” You just smile at him as you tell him to get off the flowers so you can water them properly.

 

“That only means that we’re overdue for a human to fall down here" You say knowingly. "and before you suggest it, no we will not be taking their soul so don’t even think about it.” As you continue to water the flowers you hear an offended scoff behind you.

 

*Frisk and Chara better fall down here when the thirty days are up.*

 

“Do you really think that I would kill someone just to benefit myself?” He asks in a mock offended tone as you start shearing some wilted flowers.

 

“No, not really but I’m still going to tell you.” You start to shift so you can get a better angle at a certain flower.

 

Bungie groans outwardly. “Why do you do so much work when you can relax and have fun like me? This is so boring, I’m so bored.” He asks as you continue to shear some of the broken flower stems. The room is quiet except for the sound of you cutting as you think of an answer.

 

Smiling as he gives you a quizzical look you know exactly what to tell him.

 

_“Someone has to take care of these flowers.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 50+ KUDOS! Wow, I'm genuinely surprised by this, thank you all so much!  
> Unfortunately, I have to slow down the updates like I said I might have to. I just have a lot going on right now, thank you for your understanding.   
> But good news as well, next chapter story will actually happen and not information!


	8. Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not a bad person I swear.

 

_“True friendship is like sound health;_

_the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.”_

 

 

05/13/2014

_“Good afternoon Allen!” You greet entering the psychiatrist’s office._

_“Ah, good afternoon. How was your day?” He asks as he pulls his chair up to the sofa where you take a seat like always._

_“Pretty good actually, I made a friend at work today and Emery is doing a lot better in school again, I’ll have to get her roses for her garden they’re her favorite. So all in all, it was a pretty great day!” You exclaim with a smile as you take a seat on the couch._

_“Oh really, a friend that you didn’t turn away with your anger problems?” You frown at him._

_“I know you’re just trying to get me worked up. I’ve gotten a lot better and that won’t work anymore.” You say with a slight huff and only slightly annoyed. Allen just laughs it off._

_“Yes, I suppose you know me all too well don’t you.” It’s more of a statement than a question as you both know it’s true. Sometimes you wonder who the one is that’s supposed to talk about their problems. “We can talk about me later though I want to hear more about this friend of yours. This is a big deal in your recovery after all.”_

_You’re more than happy to oblige. “Ok, so I was doing my normal thing when she comes out of nowhere and-“_

_“She! Ah, I see why you’re so excited now.” He interrupts._

_“Shut up!” You yell as he chuckles. “Now are you going to let me tell my story, or what?”_

_“Yeah go ahead.” He says as he lays his glasses on the table next to him._

_“Ok so basically…………………………………….”_

 

09/06/2015

It has been twenty-one days since you came here and Toriel’s unconditional love and caring has really been smothering you as of recently, so you wanted to do a little bit of exploring. That and just maybe you were finally able to convince Bungie to take you to the lower part of the Ruins. The lower part of the Ruins according to Bungie is basically just like the rest of the Underground just with fewer monsters and more crumbling buildings. Toriel believes you’re visiting the lower part of the Ruins because you used to live there while Bungie believes you’ve always lived outside the Ruins or with Toriel. It’s a delicate system of lies that you’ve built up and you’re convinced it will break apart some day but you aren’t as worried about it as you probably should be.

 

You get ready putting on your locket, some brown pants, and a solid dark blue hooded jacket with a solid light blue shirt that Toriel bought no doubt thinking they are your favorite colors. Bungie comes to meet you at Toriel’s home and you’re about to leave when she stops you to make sure that you have your phone she gave you and that you have plenty of food and water in the messenger bag she gave you. You tell her you won’t be staying that long but she gives you a stern look and you back down and take it. When Toriel lets you leave you both walk past the tree and take a left to the balcony so you can walk down the stairs on the wall.

 

“Be careful with the stairs they may have a guard on them but it’s still a long fall.” Bungie says as he peers through the bar down at the crumbling city.

 

“Yeah, I think I’ll just stay here next to the wall if it’s all the same to you.”

 

“What, is the big bad Boss Monster afraid of heights?” He says in a mocking tone.

 

*Two can play that game!*

 

“Says the one whom I comforted as they cried for like half an hour because a bug crawled on them. And what’s up with that anyways don’t you like, eat bugs?”

 

“WUH! Firstly, that is just a presumptuous stereotype and is rude. Secondly, I thought we had a mutual agreement that we weren’t going to talk about that ever again?” You would feel bad but just can’t do it after you see his face. Instead, you returned the smug grin he is giving you.

 

“What, did you honestly think I wasn’t going to use such wonderful ammo that you so graciously provided?”

 

“Careful Ceth you might start something you can’t finish; I know some of your more well kept secrets too.” It’s a warning and you know it but you don’t actually believe he will do something like that. Instead you both continue walking down the stairs and pick on each other in a friendly way all the way down.

 

You and Bungie have known each other for only nineteen days but you’ve become almost immediate best friends. You’ve never had a friend like this, probably because your supposed friends above ground were human. Bungie, however, is a friend that you can talk to and tell secrets, one who talks to you and tells you secrets. He even knows more than Toriel; maybe you’re being too trusting but for the first time in a long time you’re happy without the fears and you don’t care.

 

You both talked and had fun just wasting the days away and you all but forgot why you were put here in the first place. He even started coming with you on your daily rounds with Toriel and convinced you to start up cooking again after you told him you used to love it; now you made the meals every other day thanks to Toriel getting groceries. You trust him so much you even told him you had a little sister, he didn’t even ask how it became ‘had a little sister’ instead of ‘has’ which you were silently thankful for.

 

You both make it to the bottom where you take off your jacket and put it in your bag. Looking around you’re practically radiating excitement, being cramped in that small amount of space for nineteen full days is not fun.

 

“Hey, how have you been?” Bungie asks out of nowhere, successfully killing the mood.

 

“What do you mean, I’ve been fine.” Knowing what he was getting at, you try playing it off.

 

“You know exactly what I mean; you look even more tired than usual.”

 

“You’re acting like Toriel, seriously I’m fine.” He doesn’t take the bait like you had hoped. He does, however, give you a scolding look that pales in comparison to Toriel’s.

 

“Maybe Toriel wouldn’t baby you so much if you would just open up to her, tell her about your nightmares, and try to get some proper sleep. You don’t have to pretend like your fine when you’re clearly not.”

 

Knowing he’s just concerned for your well being you sigh and relent if only a little. “Honestly, the nightmares are nothing new Bungie you know that but fine, I’ll try and get some more sleep but I’m not making any promises.”

 

He smiles at you and hops forward a little before turning back to look at you. “Well, you coming or what? I know this awesome place just past the grocers; it’s really cool and has really old weapons and armor!”

 

“Sounds like fun.” You run up to him and stop looking back up the stairs. “Hey, I thought Iris was going to join us?” You invited her to try to make some more friends, no offense to your awesome friend Bungie but having only one friend can get rather lonely.

 

“Oh, she’s running late and told me to just go on ahead. Don’t worry I told her where to find us and how to get there.” You both start walking again following a path of cracked stone blockaded on both sides by rubble and buildings.

 

“Alright, if you say so.” You both continued walking for about the next twenty minutes passing a few other monsters mostly just moldsmals though. That is until you came across a small building with a garden behind it that you didn’t even question, “Magic.” You mumbled under your breath, it’s the only answer you need. Looking inside you notice it looks like a store and you see two monsters that look like a mouse and a bull but don’t get a chance to stop and say hi with Bungie taking lead like this.

 

“Bungie, why the rush; we have plenty of time?” You ask and he slows to a waddle beside you.

 

“Come on, we’re so close and I know you’re going to love it, dude. Look, that’s it over there!” You turn your head and see one in a handful of buildings that have yet to breakdown and it looks awfully like the rook chess piece. The only real problem with this picture is that the door is completely blocked off by a giant stone block that doesn’t seem to have fallen from anywhere nearby. You’re wondering where it came from when Bungie begins to talk. “Follow me I know a way in!”

 

He begins to hop away at a pace that has you running to keep up. He leads you around the structure to a pile of rubble leaning on the side of the building. The rubble appears to be hiding a small hole that Bungie slides in with ease as he tells you to follow him. You take off your bag and leave it outside leaning it against the wall and you get on your stomach and crawl inside noticing first how dark it is.

 

Toriel’s been teaching you magic nonstop since you both learned about you using it while asleep, and it’s finally starting to pay off. You lift your hand slightly in front of you, palm up, as if to cup air, fingers spread apart and call for your magic. Your body stays unaffected as the sound of buzzing fills the room and bright blue with white electricity begins to arc off of your fingers, connecting them like a fan.

 

Bungie stares at your hand for a second before commenting. “I see that you’ve been improving.”

 

“Yeah, nothing much though I still can’t really attack or anything like that.” You say while staring at your small light source. “But it’s pretty cool; it is my first time using magic after all. Hey, are you sure we should be here?”

 

You look around and see a couple of racks of weapons side by side from an assortment of spears to swords and shields, most appear rusty and stained dark brown. “Come on I haven’t been here before except for a small peak from the outside. I want to see what else is around here.” Bungie says as he summons small balls of light that look a lot like flies.

 

You and Bungie start looking around the room; it’s filthy with a thin layer of dirt on almost everything. “Where are we and what is with all these weapons I thought that all monsters used magic to attack?” You question.

 

“I think that were in some kind of old armory back from the war or maybe this is where they put all the weapons and stuff after the war, whichever. And are you serious did you even pay attention to the Human Monster War part of history? Whatever.” You give him an annoyed look and he sighs then clears his throat. “While monsters do use magic as our main way of attacking, I heard back during the Human Monster War monsters also used weapons, for reasons like if they used too much of their magic or if their magic was ranged and a human got to close.” Bungie provided.

 

“Makes sense, I guess.” *Explains Undyne’s armor and giant sword.*

 

You take a closer look at a spear that’s rusted and brown at the tip and you realize why… it has blood on it. Now that you think about it all the weapons here have blood on them…

 

*I thought that monsters didn’t kill a single human? No wait, it said they didn’t take a single soul that doesn’t mean they didn’t kill any humans. Just how big was the Human Monster War?*

 

“Ceth! Come look at this!” Bungie calls from the other side of the room and you go to see what he wants. When you make it to him he’s just standing there staring forward; you follow his eyes and see armor, a lot of armor all battered bruised and torn up. You walk forward and inspect one of the pieces of armor and Bungie slowly follows. The armor has the Delta Rune plastered on the front of it with a gaping hole in the middle; you reach down with your free hand and touch the symbol only for your hands to come back dirty.

 

You’re about to wipe the dirt off when you have a horrible thought; you raise your hand up to your face and rub the dirt together between your fingers…

 

It’s not dirt.

 

You look around closely and sure enough it’s everywhere. There’s dust covering every inch of the floor some places even have small piles of it. “Bungie I don’t think we should be in here.” You say with urgency.

 

Bungie simply turns to you with a curious look in his eyes. “Why?”

 

“Because were not in an armory… Bungie I think we’re in a graveyard.” You move your dusty hand in front of Bungie and his eyes widen in horror. “We need to le-“ You’re cut off by a small sound that your old ears would have never caught. Your new ears, however, perk up and turn on attention as your head quickly follows. “Hello, is anyone there? Iris, is that you?”

 

Iris’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You’ve been trying to be more open as of recently but it’s still very hard. So when Ceth invited you to join him and Bungie on some exploring you accepted but now you’ve just been sitting around biding your time until you finally work up the courage to go.

 

Eventually you make your way out of your home and start to head where Bungie had told you to meet them. But maybe they won’t mind if you take a moment to slow down and appreciate the scenery… again.

 

Ceth’s P.O.V.~~~

 

“Hello, is anyone there? Iris, is that you?” You hear quiet laughter and Bungie scoots closer to you. Slowly you move your hand out for the magic to illuminate outward.

 

“Howdy!”

 

You see a flower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, thank you all for the support you've given I really appreciate it! :D  
> Secondly, if you have any ideas then please feel free to share them and tell me what you thought of this chapter.  
> Thirdly, adding dates may have been a bad idea, I'll probably mess it up a lot, sorry.


	9. You're Going Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flowey was never really sane, was he?

_“Define your meaning of war_

_To me it’s what we do when we’re bored”_

 

** WARNING: VIOLENCE UP AHEAD: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED **

 

Dr. Gaster's P.O.V.~~~

 

Ever since your experiment was a failure and it literally blew up in your face you've been stuck here watching the world as it went by, that is of course until it didn't. You tell yourself that it's your fault that you shouldn't have tempted fate that you shouldn't have messed with things you couldn't possibly understand nor control.

 

You've always had the ability to see the timeline around you, that took little energy but the energy required to effect it would drain you significantly. The energy required to keep yourself whole in the void is already becoming taxing ever since it wanted you gone.

 

Although you couldn't visit the timeline others could visit you, Frisk, that child that error, proved that well. It means that things are getting worse the timeline more shattered creating holes for which things can bleed through. So if things can bleed through from the timeline then what's stopping you from doing the same? The void doesn't want you anymore but it won't let you go. It's frustrating.

 

You want to fix this, you need to fix this or the void will kill you and everyone else here without the energy to stay whole. How will you fix the timeline then? Although it may cause more damage to the timeline it's worth the risk, right? You'll just use one of the holes and some energy to cause a few small changes, to fix the problem.

 

They are the problem, the new error, the one with that wretched soul. Ever since they came the void has been acting up and it's getting worse. They aren’t normal, they aren’t stable, if they die and time catches up to Frisk then they will stay dead. That’s just what you need.

 

It was you who started everything.

 

You who broke the timeline.

 

You who damned everyone to the hell of repetition.

 

You who damned yourself to the void.

 

Every **RESET** is your fault, every **LOAD** , every **SAVE** , every **D E A T H**.

 

And it will be you who fixes it.

 

_"Hello, little flower."_

 

Ceth's P.O.V.~~~

 

“Howdy! I’m FLOWEY. FLOWEY the FLOWER! Hmm... You’re new to the Underground, that’s for sure.” You stood unmoving terrified as your body language betrayed you; ears falling flat and tail almost tucked between your legs. You know what is going to happen and reach for your phone only to realize that when you left Home you put it in your pack which you left outside. You struggle to breathe and you clutch your locket; Bungie takes notice of your distress and looks up at you.

 

“Golly am I surprised! I had heard there was a new monster in the Underground but I didn’t think it was true. Let alone one so powerful! We can have so much fun friend.” His sickly sweet smile and cheerful tone never faltered you wonder how many times he’s done something like this, how many times he’s rehearsed those lines and then you realize something.

 

You’ve been putting everything off you never thought about any of this or made any plans but Flowey he... he has the power over RESET, LOAD, and SAVE. He’s been fighting boredom for years and you’re the equivalent of a new toy. Your magic flickers off and everything’s dark except Bungie’s lights and the glint coming off of Flowey’s eyes.

 

You hear a child’s laughter.

 

Bungie summons more lights hopping in front of you and you take a step back as you notice Flowey has gotten closer, now planted firmly next to the bloody and dusty rack of weapons. Bungie looks up at you noticing your fear then looking back at Flowey and you’re startled by his voice. “Hey dude, we don’t want any trouble, ok? We just want to leave.” Bungie tells Flowey but Flowey just ignores him still staring at you.

 

“Golly, you must be so confused... then again...” His smile contorts into a demonic grin and the ground underneath Flowey cracks, rising up. “You know what’s going on here, don’t you?” He laughs again but it’s shrill and cruel. As he summons his bullets you move barely registering each step as you push Bungie out of the way and take a hit to your left shoulder.

 

“RUN!” You scream at Bungie and you’re both off kicking dust in the air as you maneuver around all the armor and weapons with minimal light. You hear laughter again followed by the sound of metal hitting the ground hard; before either of you realize it a vine has knocked you both to the ground causing a rack of weapons and armor to fall on you pinning you to the ground.

 

You scream as one of the many spears stab through your right calf. Lying back down everything is silent as the dust begins to settle, you’re covered in it injured and bleeding.

 

*At least Bungie got awa-* You’re cut off as you hear Bungie scream it’s deafening to your new ears and you turn your head in the sounds direction.

 

“BUNGIE! Bungie, what’s wrong!” You try to move but it’s no use you can’t lift everything off of you. There hasn’t been a response and all you can see is darkness. “Bungie!” You struggle to move your arm in his direction to use some magic and see what’s happening. It hurts and your shoulder is bleeding but you do it and you see Bungie on the ground. “Bungie? Bungie, hey what’s wro-“ A vine snatches Bungie off the ground by his leg and dangles him in the air.

 

Seeing your friend in danger gives you a new found courage to do something stupid. “NO! FLOWEY STOP! Leave him alone you wanted me, right?!” You scream as Flowey comes within your magic’s light, still grinning.

 

“Really?!” He says in an excited and surprised voice. “You’d throw yourself in harm’s way for some froggit? That’s rich, you must be an idiot! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” You struggle more as he catches his breath. “I’ll tell you what friend, you can have him if you can take him.” He says cheerfully with a wink for emphasis.

 

You snap your jaw shut and shakily point your arm at Flowey. You focus all of your strength into your magic and will it to attack. The electricity sparks hitting the ground and metal making its way, quickly, to Flowey only getting halfway before fading away.

 

Flowey looks shocked, eyes wide with disbelief as he stares at you, smirks, and laughs again. You can’t believe it your magic did nothing; you try again but it barely even gets a quarter to him and he laughs harder. “You can’t even use magic!” He says between fits of laughter and then becomes serious.

 

 ** _“You really ARE an idiot.”_** Bungie seems to have woken up after the loud pop of your magic. Odd enough Flowey frowns at you as he sighs and shakes his head. “This just won’t do, and here you had me thinking you were strong. Sure it was a surprise to see another Boss Monster soul let alone one as strong as yours or any new soul down here in general, buuuuuuut fighting you just won’t be any fun... at least not after the first hundred or so times.” He laughs again as Bungie struggles and you go back to trying to get out from under all the metal slowly removing each piece.

 

Bungie speaks up still dangling in the air from his leg. “Why are you doing this?!”

 

Flowey stifles another giggle before responding.”Such a stupid question, why does it matter?” Between Bungie’s silence and your continued struggling he sighs and answers. ”Simple, because I’m bored; besides, this is just how things are; in this world, it’s kill or be killed.” He looks back to you flashing his trademark grin.

 

A vine breaks through the ground freeing you from under the rack as you’re sent flying violently to the opposite side of the room. You hit the ground hard sliding and rolling on the cool stone until you come to a full stop on your left side. It sounds like someone’s yelling or maybe it’s just your ears ringing as you shakily push yourself up only to fall at the horrible pain in your leg. But before you can survey the damage done you’re whacked in the stomach with another vine getting the wind knocked out of you as you’re sent through the air again. Your back hits the wall with an audible crack and you heave the contents of your stomach.

 

You cough several times before you finally stop in favor of taking deep breaths. You hear Bungie scream and you look up vision blurry as you see Bungie attack Flowey with his magic. Flowey lurches back with a grunt and reels his vine back in order to toss Bungie clear across the entire room and right into your chest.

 

Bungie hits you square in the chest, hard, and you’re sent into another fit of coughing up blood as you hold your locket and chest with your good hand. Eventually, you stop letting your head hang low staring at Bungie’s unmoving form in your lap. Everything hurts; your right leg is mangled from the weapon possibly even broken, your head is throbbing in pain, even twitching your left arm sends you into a painful spasm, seeing as how hard it is to breath you think you must have a few broken ribs and gotten internal bleeding, you're covered in dust, visions blurry, ears ringing, light headed, nose bleeding, everything hurts.

 

Letting go of your locket and chest you shake Bungie talking in a quiet raspy tone. “Hey... Bungie... you need to get up.” You’re unsure of what Flowey is doing and can’t see anything besides the little you can from the orange light coming through the small cracks you made when you hit the wall. Bungie finally come around coughing as he stands up.

 

Bungie opens his eyes seeing you first they widen in fear. “Shit! Ceth are you okay!”

 

Your breathing is labored and shaky but you still answer. “N-not... really... no. But... I’ll b-be fine. You need to... leave, now.” You stutter as you attempt to persuade him and he shakes his head in defiance.

 

“No way am I leaving you with him!” As soon as Bungie mentions Flowey you hear another cruel laugh; Bungie turns as you look up.

 

Flowey’s face is illuminated by a shard of orange light surrounded by darkness, his trademark sinister grin ever present on his face as he looks at you. “This might be more fun than I thought it would be!” Still smiling he tilts his head back and forth. “But unfortunately, it looks like you’re a little hurt, friend. That just won’t do!” He abruptly stops moving and straightens his posture. “Don’t worry friend, we can play this game forever!” He giggles again as you begin to shake; Bungie still hasn’t moved from your lap either. A vine with a pointed end comes up from the ground and points at you both.

 

“ **ISN’T THAT A WONDERFUL IDEA!** ” The vine shoots forward faster than you can react and pierces Bungie in the chest as it goes through the left side of your abdomen and straight into the wall behind you with a _shink_.

 

You cover your mouth as you cough blood seeping through your four fingers and dripping on Bungie’s head. You turn to your right and throw up more blood as you shakily turn back to Bungie; face relaxing into an emotionless stare you touch his shoulder. He slowly turns to you a line of blood coming from his sad smile and tears from sad eyes that speak a silent forgiveness, words unspoken as he lets you know you aren’t to blame and you start a silent cry. He closes his eyes still smiling as he crumbles to dust under your hand; face never changing from its emotionless state as tears still fall an inverted white soul is all that remains.

 

Despite the pain, you move both of your arms cupping the soul. It’s nothing like yours. Yours is ugly, dim, with gray veins, and a darkness that surrounds it. It’s neither human nor monster. Bungie’s soul, however, shines brightly as the inverted hearts light envelops the room.

 

Then it gives and audible heart-wrenching crack and shatters, the shards quickly falling and turning to dust as they hit the ground and your paws. You stare at both of your hands as Bungie’s dust seeps through your fingers painting your coat and clothes a sickly gray as it soaks in your blood. Bungie is dead; the tower of weapons and armor a graveyard once again.

 

You hear a shrill cold laugh come from in front of you as the vine in your stomach shakes with the sheer force of his hysteria. You look up to meet Flowey’s overjoyed face. As soon as you look at him he stops laughing but never not smiling. “Wow, your eyes look just as cold as mine, friend! And look at how durable you are; only a handful of monster could take a beating like you can!” His smile widens into a cruel grin. “Things can get so boring once you live them a few thousand times, but you're new! We are going to have so much fun I just know it!” He says the last part sarcastically laughing at it as if it were an inside joke that he plans to kill you over and over but you simply stare at him, emotionless.

 

*Fun?*

 

He frowns at you. “Looks like I broke you. That was way too easy. Oh well, I’ll just have fun doing it all over again after I **LOAD**.” He grins again.

 

*Fun? All over again?* Static rings in your ears and you don’t notice the voice mixed in it.

 

**~~“LeT … TakE… LEt uS… IN… wE… KiLL it… KILL IT”~~ **

 

Hatred fills you the only emotion you know at the moment, seething anger next as you grab the vine in both hands. You haven’t broken eye contact as Flowey looks at you, amused, daring you to do something. You can feel your sins weigh you down as your LOVE takes over lifting you right back up.

 

After a moment you stand; if intentions are everything then you will show it, after all, you’re used to getting lost in your anger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We know that Flowey messed with time but how much? And just what could repeating time for so long do to a soulless monster?  
> I think I portrayed Flowey's insane side rather well, what do you all think?  
> Also, sorry it's going to take time for me to update and thank you all for all the comments, kudos, bookmarks, and hits. This is all more attention than I thought this would get! :D  
> Finally, I'm just going to put the Mature tag on just in case.


	10. Human

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soldier Grillby inspired by Wolfess_Sanu’s Glitch and Transcendence. They can be found here http://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfess_Sanu/pseuds/Wolfess_Sanu

_“Cage me like an animal”_

_“Let the human in”_

_“If I could only let go”_

**_~~W E C A N T L E T G O~~ _ **

 

_12/24/2013_

_“Ah hello, my name is Allen; I will be your psychiatrist for the remainder of our time together.” He extends his hand in greeting and you stare at it keeping your arms at your sides before sitting down on the couch._

_He retracts his arm wringing his fingers together he gives you a quiet hum. “You know this could go a lot smoother if you would talk to me.” He pulls up his chair; taking a seat he pulls out his notebook and pen. Both of you sit there staring at each other, his filled with concern and yours with a newly found coldness._

_He sighs loudly. “Okay, listen, I know you don’t want to be here but after what you’ve been through… after what you’ve done, the court and I believe it best that you stay within my care showing up, at least, five times a week.”_

_You remain silent on the couch but look away and to the clock. He sighs again placing his notepad, pen, and glasses down on the table next to him. “You know I report to the courts how your recovery is doing.” You look to him again and he’s smiling._

_“Here I’ll start. How’s your sister handling the loss of your parents?”_

_Anger clear on you face and voice you answer. “She’s fine.”_

_“Yes, well I understand that you are doing your best to keep her under your care is that correct?” You nod. “That can’t be easy for you.”_

_“Its fine, I’m used to it. I promised to be a better person for her.” You say looking away_

_He looks at you with a sad smile “Why… why do you think you’re here?” You snap to attention, it was a weird question surely he knew the reason._

_“Because the people think that I’m a danger to society and to myself; that I shouldn’t be taking care of my little sister.”_

_“True. But that’s not why you’re here. You’re here because something happened to you, something horrible, and I’m here to help you through it. Right now you’re hurting and you’ve made mistakes due to your anger. But you can get past this, get past your anger and live a normal life, you just need to heal, you just to let go of your anger. You made a mistake but you’re only human. That is why you are here, do you understand?” You take a moment considering his words before you answer._

_“… Yes.”_

 

~~~

 

Flowey’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You send the vine through both of them; the froggit remains unmoving as the larger one coughs up more blood and then throws up. You can barely see in the dark but he turns back to the froggit and tries to get its attention; almost immediately the froggits face goes from terror and pain to one of... happiness, no, sympathy? You’re not sure but when you look back up at the other one their face is emotionless and cold, distant even.

 

They stare at each other for a moment before the froggit turns to dust and his soul shatters. *Finally!* you think as you smile and then laugh. As soon as he turns to you, you stop laughing to address him.

 

“Wow, your eyes look just as cold as mine, friend! And look at how durable you are; only a handful of monster could take a beating like you can!” You pull one of your more common creepy smiles as you continue. “Things can get so boring once you live them a few thousand times, but your new! We are going to have so much fun I just know it!” Saying this you laugh thinking about how he must be so confused but looking back at him you frown frustrated at his lack of a reaction.

 

“Looks like I broke you. Oh well, I’ll just have fun doing it all over again after I **LOAD**.” You smile at him again as you start to get ready to kill him thinking about the best way to do it when he surprises you.

 

He grabs your vine in both hands and you grin. *Finally, some action!* you think. He simply stares at the floor for a moment until his emotionless face contorts into one of rage and disgust his once cold eyes filled with hatred... those red eyes... glowing with a fury you once knew and you shake. The air grows cold and tense as the faint hum of magic sends a familiar chill through you. You know this feeling, whenever you would kill everyone the smiley trashbag would act like this but this is somehow different it feels colder, angrier; then you sense it like a sickening feeling of dread and you smile. *They’re a killer, they have LOVE! This is going to be great!*

 

You’re about to speak when you see out of the darkness *Did it get darker in here?* small sparks of dark red go throughout his fur and seemingly originating from the middle of his chest where a piece of metal hangs. Looking back up at his eyes you see they’re glowing just like his magic; not a bright red but so similar it shocks you. You’ve had nightmares recently of eyes like those, so full of hate and LOVE as they shine red; the thing, not human nor monster, something like you, as it kills indiscriminately.

 

You shake off the feeling almost as quickly as it came and he stands firm on a destroyed leg as blood drips from his elbow and out of his mouth down his muzzle. He brings the vine with him as it breaks free from the wall and blood runs down it. He’s staring down at you as his magic fades leaving only glowing blood red eyes surrounded by endless darkness.

 

The magic in the air only grows heavier, unbearable, it becomes hard to breathe when suddenly you feel something else like he’s showing it to you displaying it even; it’s dark, murderous, and cold you can’t look at his eyes anymore as whatever it is fills you with foreboding. Since when were you the type to get scared?

 

It’s been little over minute since he grabbed your vine; suddenly everything lights up red as lightning dances around the entire room from metal to metal and he attacks your vine within his hold.

 

You scream, it hurts so much as it completely destroys your vine leaving a small hole in his stomach. The moment he loses his grip the pain stops and you bare your fangs. You attack with another much larger and lethal vine as you yell for him to die.

 

Ceth’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You make your magic spread throughout the air and let Flowey feel just what you **~~WE~~** intend to do; he looks away and you take the opportunity. If your magic can’t reach him then you’ll just have to get closer this vine is truly perfect for that. He screams in agony, it only fuels you **~~US~~** as your magic courses through him burning and completely destroying his vine; you’ll **~~WE’LL~~** have to get close again.

 

The moment your magic stops his face turns into some kind of skull with fangs and another vine slams into you side destroying the wall as you’re sent through the air again, debris from the wall following you.

 

“DIE!” He screams.

 

This time you land on all fours noticing how his attack didn’t hurt and that even though you’re still wounded, even the hole in your stomach still there, you aren’t bleeding anymore, instead a black liquid is covering every wound. You don’t even question it. Flowey appears several meters away vines surrounding him as he summons more pellets.

 

“Why won’t you die, what the hell are you?!” He screams as he attacks again, you **~~WE~~** stand as lightning surrounds you **~~US~~** coming from the ground and destroying some of the pellets before they can even touch you. Flowey scowls deeper as you start walking toward him. He straightens and suddenly three rings of pellets surround you **~~US~~** , it takes a bit of concentration but you **~~WE~~** send your **~~OUR~~** lightning and destroy all of them.

 

“JUST DIE!” Flowey screams again as the ground cracks and breaks effectively stopping you as you **~~WE~~** move out of the way of several vines that burst through the ground to try and stab you.

 

Out of the corner of your eye you **~~WE~~** see a whimsun run away and ignore it in order to continue the fight **~~THE KILL~~**. Pooling your magic into your hands you duck under a vine grabbing another meant to stab you and electrocute him again. He shakes it off after a moment and continues his attacks.

 

*I need to get closer.* A twisted smile forms on your face without you noticing. **~~NO WE DON’T~~**

 

Toriel’s P.O.V.~~~

 

They’ve been gone for about an hour now but you aren’t worried… not very worried, this is the Ruins after all you know everyone here. Besides, Ceth isn’t a child even if he acts like it sometimes… and even if you act like he is sometimes; he can take care of himself.

 

The moment that Ceth left you started boiling some water on the stove then went downstairs and opened the door outside the Ruins the cold immediately assaulting you. You don’t even get a step further before a fire elemental pops its head around the corner.

 

“Your majesty it is you!” Grillby salutes left hand behind back, right hand a fist over his chest, he stands straight with his feet pressed together and his head held high.

 

You wave off his formality. “I am no longer queen I have forgone the thrown a long time ago, Sir Grillby; Toriel is just fine. Sorry that I’m somewhat late but did you bring the extra bed that I asked?”

 

Grillby relaxes and nods. “I have the bed your ma- Toriel.” He heads over the wall to pick up a covered mattress, bed railings, and headboard. He hands you the mattress and carries everything else under his arms with ease. “It’s fine I wasn’t waiting long. Truthfully I didn’t think that it was really you when you called but I didn’t want to take the chance so I did bring everything.” Grillby gives a light chuckle. “I guess it’s lucky I keep mementos from those days or that number you tried wouldn’t have worked. We’ve all moved on Toriel, I myself no longer go by Sir Grillby, I even settled down and had a child.”

 

 “That is wonderful! I’m so happy for you.” You exclaim smiling.

 

Grillby smiles and looks forward inside the Ruins. “Do you mind if I ask why you need another bed or why you left for so long?”

 

You sigh as you lead him inside and the doors close automatically. “It has been a long time has it not? Well I left because of the way Asgore handled his grief and the promise he made our people, the pathetic whelp.” You lead Grillby up the stairs and to Ceth’s room. You smile at all the toys he moved to the other side of the room. “The reason I need the new bed is because I have a new child staying here with me and he’s had to deal with sleeping in a rather small bed for too long.”

 

You instruct Grillby to put everything down in the middle of the room and that you will build it later. You tell him you’ve made refreshments and that he should take a seat at the table. When you come back with some tea he takes it with a thank you sipping it and then asking you a question. “So who’s the new child that you have staying with you? I don’t see them anywhere.”

 

You smile which only makes him more confused. “They’re not really a child anymore but they’re a monster more specifically a Boss Monster.”

 

His flames burn bright and high. “Do you mean… is he your…”

 

You frown at him and he stops speaking. “Although I consider them my child I am not their real mother, no.”

 

“So a brand new Boss Monster, huh. Wow.” Grillby smiles adjusting his glasses before speaking. “What kind of Boss Monster is he? Can I meet them? This is very important you know.”

 

“Yes, I know it is very important that everyone learns of this. His name is Ceth and he appears to be a canine type of monster, as for meeting him well that will be up to him.” You say.

 

Grillby chuckles softly as his fire crackles.“At least, the Royal Guards in Snowdin will be pleased.” Grillby starts to chuckle at your confusion when he’s then interrupted from explaining.

 

“TORIEL!” A whimsun flies through the front door and you immediately realize who it is.

 

“Iris? What is wro-“

 

“It’s Ceth and Bungie! They’re in trouble!” Iris didn’t stutter or show shyness due to their panic.

 

You get a feeling of pure dread as Grillby stands. “Where?” is all you can ask before following behind Iris.

 

Ceth’s P.O.V~~~

 

Although you **~~WE~~** have yet to have any problems from using so much magic, fatigue is certainly becoming a problem. You’ve **~~WE’VE~~** been running, dodging, and blocking for a while now with no luck. Flowey on the other hand has hit you **~~US~~** several times and is getting angrier every minute you’re **~~WE’RE~~** alive. You’ve **~~WE’VE~~** found out **~~BEEN TAUGHT~~** how to shoot your **~~OUR~~** lightening but it makes no difference when every attack you **~~WE~~** send his way is completely blocked seeing as how he can’t dodge and digging down takes too long, but you’ve **~~WE’VE~~** finally made a plan. While observing Flowey you’ve **~~WE’VE~~** learned many things about how he fights:

**~~HE KEEPS HIS DISTANCE AT ALL TIMES USING A SHIELD OF VINES TO BLOCK OUR RANGED ATTACKS.~~ **

**~~WHEN HE SUMMONS HIS PELLETS HIS ENTIRE BODY STRAIGHTENS AND LEANS IN THE DIRECTION HE SENDS THEM AS ALL HIS VINES SLOW SIGNIFICANTLY.~~ **

**~~WHEN HE USES VINES THE GROUND CRACKS PREMATURELY WHERE THEY WILL POP UP AND HE CAN ONLY HAVE TWO PLUS THE ONE HE USES AS A SHIELD OUT AT ANY GIVEN TIME.~~ **

**~~AND HE HAS TROUBLE CONTROLLING HIS ANGER JUST LIKE US.~~ **

This means that you **~~WE~~** have a way to dodge but, more importantly, a way to actually get a hit off. You **~~WE~~** just need to do a little antagonizing.

 

You **~~WE~~** duck under a vine running to the right and fire two bolts from both of your **~~OUR~~** hands to get his attention and Flowey blocks them with more vines.

 

“If this is all you can do then you won’t ever hit me let alone kill me.” You **~~WE~~** get exactly what you **~~WE~~** want when he growls and begins to summon more pellets. As soon as he begins you **~~WE~~** shoot another bolt destroying his shield of vines. **~~ONE DOWN~~** He stops summoning pellets in order to fix the defense as you **~~WE~~** run to the left.

 

The ground in front of you **~~US~~** cracks and you **~~WE~~** dodge to the right as another vine erupts from the ground. **~~TWO DOWN~~** You **~~WE~~** need to be quicker or he’ll pick up the pace again. The moment you **~~WE~~** touch the ground on all fours you **~~WE~~** feel the fatigue begin to really hit you **~~US~~** but you **~~WE~~** ignore it, you **~~WE~~** have to you’re **~~WE’RE~~** so close. Something almost instinctual comes over you as you don’t even stand instead choosing to run on all fours like it’s the most natural thing, and it’s so much **~~FASTER~~**.

 

Flowey seems completely stunned by your **~~OUR~~** sudden change of speed as you **~~WE~~** try shooting another bolt at him, which is significantly harder without hands to properly direct it but you **~~WE~~** manage. He uses his final vine as a shield for it as you **~~WE~~** jump around it and the smoke, lunging at him and ripping him free from the ground with your **~~OUR~~** right paw all in one swift motion.

 

You **~~WE~~** stand up as he writhes beneath your grasp and you **~~WE~~** pant heavily; your **~~OUR~~** body in a significant amount of stress and exhaust. You **~~WE~~** raise your **~~OUR~~** left hand pointing it at him, mere inches away as red electricity dances across your **~~OUR~~** fingers. You **~~WE~~** finally have him in your **~~OUR~~** grasp you **~~WE~~** can kill him easily. You **~~WE~~** look at the flower with seething rage and he smiles back stopping his struggles. Then he laughs. “Go ahead! Kill me! I know you want to; after all, you’re just like me! It’s who you are and you can’t change that.” He sneers, challenging you **~~US~~** to finish what he started.

 

It’s what you **~~WE~~** want; he killed Bungie, murdering him for the sake of entertainment. He would be getting what he deserved and it wouldn’t be the first time you took revenge, it wouldn’t be the first time you took a life, they attacked you first they deserved it, he deserves it! It should be so easy for you **~~US~~** , all you **~~WE~~** need to do is let your **~~OUR~~** magic finish the job.

 

Flowey’s smile turns almost melancholy and his face looks like… Toriel’s no, it’s Asriel; he’s avoiding your **~~OUR~~ ** eyes looking down at your **~~OUR~~** locket… your locket. You breathe in slowly and breathe out just as quickly several times as you stand there staring at Flowey, he’s looking at you again with confusion at your silence.

 

You drop your hand face softening and grip lessening as you slowly run your fingers over the watch; somehow it had stayed on over everything that happened and for the first time since this all started you realize it’s even there. The familiar sensation of it and its weight reminding you of why it’s there in the first place and the promise you made. The static gets louder and you flinch at its intensity until suddenly it’s gone leaving you feeling weaker. Scratch that you feel horrible.

 

It’s getting harder to stand and you fall to your knees bringing Flowey closer to you. He seems startled by the sudden motion as he makes a noise of distress that would be funny if not given the moment. How could you have been so stupid?

 

*He’s a murderer.* The thought makes you squeeze harder for a second before you loosen your grip again.*So am I.*

 

*He killed Bungie.* You glare at him for a second and he bends in on himself to look smaller. *But what give me the right to kill him?* Considering how he’s just a child who lost his soul you probably wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself after you had calmed down. How could you have forgotten your promise so easily? Maybe he can even **LOAD** this it would be simple for him, right?

 

Your magic has finally calmed down and the pain is becoming unbearable but you manage a smile at Flowey’s silent baffled look. *He must be so confused.* Before you can say anything a voice, that sounds suspiciously like Toriel, shouts your name.

 

Flowey stiffens at the voice and you give a dry chuckle of pain and amusement. He scowls at you as soon as you speak. “I’m sorry I tried to kill you but in all fairness, you tried the same.” Your voice is raspy and dry. “We really need to talk… Asriel. But for now, you need to go.” You contemplated whether or not to say his name but decide that he’ll definitely want to talk if you do.

 

Flowey’s eyes widen from shock. “Wha- what did you jus-“

 

You shush him placing him on the ground as the voice calling your name gets louder. “You need to go, now.” You tell him and he gives you one last look before burrowing in the ground. When he’s gone you look around from your position careful not to turn too much or too quickly. Taking in the scenery you see debris everywhere along with scorch marks and destroyed ground.

 

*We may have gone a little bit overboard, huh?* you hear your name called again and shout back while trying to stand. Your mangled leg wobbles under the pressure and you cough up more blood as your vision begins to darken.

 

“Ceth, my child are you alright?!” Toriel runs around a corner and to you along with Iris and… Grillby? They’re a few feet away when they stop eyes going wide as they stare at your stomach and Toriel covers her mouth as a sob escapes her. The feeling of tiredness is weighing you down significantly as you vision blurs and darkens but you look down following their eyes and see a hole in your stomach the size of a tennis ball.

 

*Oh yeah, forgot about that.* You think just before collapsing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I had a really bad weekend but thank you all for everything. I know I'm not the best at writing but I hope that those that enjoy this fic can continue to do so. :3


	11. You Raise Me Up

_“When I am down and, oh, my soul, so weary;_

_When troubles come and my heart burdened be;_

_Then I am still and wait here in the silence,_

_Until you come and sit awhile with me.”_

 

Gaster’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You watch as Flowey stabs the Froggit and look away, frowning, as the void shudders stronger than before. You didn’t want him dead, you didn’t want anyone hurt… but… this is for the best. You look back into the timeline and see the glitch grab the vine and stand.

 

“Interesting, he’s much stronger than I thought.” You can't help it, your scientific interests been peaked. The gli- no… Ceth glares at Flowey letting a massive amount of magic pollute the air and…

 

The void… it starts screaming.

 

It’s screaming from every direction as you close your eyes clutching your head.  It sounds almost furious but you’re not sure why.

 

Then you hear a voice. **~~“LET US TAKE HIM. LET US COME IN. WE WILL KILL IT AS ONE AGAIN. WE WILL KILL IT!”~~** Opening your eyes you see shadows from the void leak into the timeline tying itself to them. You look closer and see that their magic has changed and the void is keeping his damaged body stable.

 

“H-how… that’s… that is not possible…” You can’t believe it let alone begin to understand it. The void is keeping them alive and giving them more power. Some sort of morbid curiosity outweighs your judgment and you try to get closer but the moment you move the shadows begin pressing down on you keeping you weighed down.

 

*The void is helping him, but why? It can’t… it…* You remember how the void works, how it constantly hungers, and how it interferes with the timeline like with the two children and right now. You realize you know next to nothing about the true nature of the void and seeing as how it’s interfering with your plans again it might be time to change that. *The void has a will, it hungers. So why is it giving? What does it stand to gain?*

 

Ceth and Flowey have been fighting for a while now as you struggle with the void. You’re low on magic and it could be dangerous but you throw caution to the wind as you summon your blasters and attack the shadows helping Ceth. As much as you hate it you hope that it will be enough for Flowey to finish the job.

 

You’ve successfully separated the void and Ceth, but at what cost? The void screams louder sending wave after wave of tremors as you begin to fade. It will take a few days to build up enough magic and DETERMINATION to become solid in the void again but you will do it, you have the time, you have to do it.

 

Ceth’s P.O.V.~~~

 

* * *

 

**_Friends and family come and go but it’s the memory of the times you spent together that stays forever._ **

****

_People are staring at you and whispering to each other like you can’t hear them._

****

_“After what you did you're lucky they even let you live outside of a sanatorium.” Says a lawyer as she passes…_

_“I’m in charge of you and I think it would be beneficial to you if you took part in some community service.” Allen…_

_“Thank you for always helping us. You’ve done more than enough for us, truly thank you so much.”… not enough._

_“Even though you don’t have to continue your community services you still want too? Alright, that sounds like a plan.” Allen smiles at you. “You’ve been doing really well, you weren’t kidding about being a better person, huh?”_

_Emery’s at school and you’re repainting the front door after someone left a rather unflattering message for you._

_You brought Emery with you to do some community service. You’re too afraid to leave her alone at home, but you won’t tell her that. Emery smiles up at you. “That was so cool!”_

_“Really? I would have thought you wouldn’t like that kind of stuff.” You smile back._

_“No way, we got to help people and everyone is so nice and I get to help you make food for everyone and-“_

_You chuckle. “Alright, alright, I get it.” Emery stares at you with a smile. “What’s up with that look?”_

_Emery beams up at you from her stool. “You’ve been happier since doing this and taking care of me. You like helping people don’t you?” She says with a smug grin leaning forward. It makes the guilt easier._

_You scoff and put a plate of popcorn chicken and apple slices in front of her. Hardly an amazing lunch but it will do for now. “Yeah, well it makes me happy to help others you know like our family used to and I love taking care of you little sis.” You smile at her again as she pushes her apple slices away and you scold her for it._

_You walk away to wash your hands. “I love you, bro.”_

_You stop and turn to her she’s focusing on cooling off her chicken. “I love you too, sis.”_

_“I’m so sorry, Emery! I’m so so sorry!”_

_“Hey, bro… promise me again please.”_

_“…”_

_“Promise what?”_

_“To always try being the better person.”_

_“Emery I-“_

_“Please.”_

_“…”_

_“… I promise…”_

_“…”_

_“Thank you.”_

_w h y_

* * *

 

 

You wake up in your bed staring at the ceiling. You woke up quietly and stayed that way until you noticed you were crying.

 

You move your left hand to wipe your face and instantly regret it as it sends a wave of pain through you. You hiss at the pain and using your good arm, pull the sheets of the bed off of you. Looking down at yourself you’re delighted in the fact that you’re wearing your locket still but less so when you see that your stomach, left shoulder, and right leg are wrapped in several layers of gauze along with several smaller bandages littered throughout your body.

 

Trying to sit up rewards you with a searing pain in your stomach and you hear a figure shift to your left. A hand of fire is placed on your chest and you silently congratulate yourself for not freaking out at all… or at least visibly on the outside. You turn to see Grillby, he’s in his normal bartender uniform and he’s frowning at you as he pushes you back into bed.

 

“You’re too injured.” Is all he says as he sits back down in a chair next to your bed and continues to stare, frowning.

 

You look back at yourself. The memories of the fight are a little hazy but when you notice the bandages over your stomach again you feel saddened. “What happened to Bungie?” You ask, voice cracking halfway through as you rub your locket. Your sure you know but clarification never hurt.

 

Grillby stays silent as he stands and walks over to the dresser; he returns with a small and thin vial. He hands you the vial and you pull it up to your face. It has a cap and is made of some kind of really tough glass, its contents consist of… dust.

 

The clarification hurts.

 

Grillby takes a seat again as he lets out a grunt of displeasure like he isn’t happy with the situation. You’re sure no one is happy with the situation. “You, uh… missed the funeral, it was yesterday. You’ve been out for two days and everyone’s been worried.”

 

*So I made a good impression, huh?* You think bitterly.

 

“Bungie’s parents left for the capital, they wanted me to tell you, thanks.” You look at Grillby saddened and confused, he looks as serious as ever.

 

“Thanks? Thanks, for what?”

 

“For fighting for him. We don’t know what happened but we know that you fought and that you fought hard.” You give a short laugh, bitter and cold.

 

“Yeah, a lot of good that did him, huh.” You say staring at the vial.

 

“They also said thank you for being his friend… They said he didn’t have many of those and that he was always down about it. They said that he would always come home and talk about what a great day he had with his new friend and how he would brag about you being a Boss Monster and how great you were going to be with magic.” You can’t even imagine Bungie looking sad, he always seemed so happy, always smiling even… even in the end. You looked at the wall as a few tears escaped madding the fur under your eyes. “You know how funerals work, right?” You nod still not looking at him. Grillby’s voice becomes even quieter than normal as he continues. “I attended his funeral; they spread some of his dust at the places you used to hang out…”

 

“They were going to give you the vial, what’s left of his dust, after the funeral but you were resting. It took hours to convince them that you hadn’t fallen down yourself, but when we did they told me to give that to you and they left. How are you holding up?” He asks.

 

“I’ll be fine.” You’ll mourn for now but you’ll just have to put it behind you like usual… like always, besides it can all be **RESET** anyways, or however it works. Speaking of mourning, you seem to be crying far more than normal as of recently and you wipe at your dampened fur before trying and failing to clear your throat. You ask for some water as you lay the vial down on your bed and Grillby reaches for the ground picking up a cup of water.

 

“What exactly happened?” He asks as he hands you the cup of water.

 

*Ah, should’ve expected that.* “Thanks, but you never told me who you are?” You ask even though you know already and accept the water taking a sip. It’s a good attempt at a change of subject.

 

“Grillby, I’m a friend of your mothers, she called me, now what happened?” The moment he says mother you inhale sharply sucking water into your lungs and start coughing. You spit up some water while hacking and he starts freaking asking if you’re alright.

 

You say your fine and cough more before continuing. “Toriel – _cough-cough-_ Toriel isn’t my mom!” You say as your voice finds a new vocal range and you hit your chest a couple of times. The coughing is definitely not helping with your stomach pains.

 

Grillby frowns. “Oh. Sorry… I just assu-“

 

“It’s fine.” You say.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

“You know she cares for you a lot. She even thinks of you as her child.” Grillby tells you with a stern expression as you look away fiddling with your locket and feel like garbage for some reason you can’t figure out. “She was even willing to die healing you, if I wasn’t there to he-“

 

“What!” You interrupt turning sharply and flinching at the pain. Grillby doesn’t even so much as move at your sudden outburst.

 

“She’s fine she just needs a little rest for a few days is all.” He tells you but it does nothing to help your nerves and you attempt to get out of bed as you swing your legs around the side.

 

Grillby immediately shoots out of his chair and grabs you shoulders. “You need to rest too!” You shoot him a glare which he returns with twice the intensity but you don’t back down.

 

“I’m going to see her and you can either help me or move.” You’ve had so many people you care about, die you’d think that you’d be used to it by now but your voice clearly betrays you as it sounds panicked.

 

He notices your panic and reluctantly decides, with a sigh, that it would be more beneficial to help you to her room. He says to lay down so he can heal you a little more which won’t do much but ease some of the pain for a while. You leave the vial on your bed for now and he puts your right arm over his neck holding your left side as you slowly walk on both legs. The pain is excruciating and you grimace with each step but it’s better than it was before he healed you. Grillby asks if you’re okay when you make it to your door and you tell him to keep going.

 

When you make it to Toriel’s door Grillby knocks. “Toriel, you have a visitor.” There’s a moment of silence before Toriel tells you to come in.

 

*She sounds so tired.* You think and it’s true, after using her healing power to bring back someone who should be far gone she should be almost dead herself but Grillby is also good with healing magic and helped significantly. Maybe you should give him a break?

 

You get off of Grillby and steel yourself as you try not to look like you’re in any pain. Grillby protests but you shake your head as you open the door and he chooses to simply stand inside it.

 

Toriel is lying in bed with her head propped up and a washcloth on her forehead. Seeing her like this makes you feel horrible to the point of being sick and you think you’re about to cry again but force it back down while taking a seat in a chair that’s sitting beside her bed. You’re careful not to show your pain as you sit and her eyes open slightly more when she notices it’s you. “My child, while I am so glad to see that you’re awake and walking, you should be resting.” It’s true you can see the relief in her eyes and one her face as she smiles the same warm motherly smile that makes you feel loved.

 

You smile; it’s slightly sad and worn but genuine. “You should be resting. Grillby says that you need to for a couple of days so I’ll be taking over the chores and cooking while you do so, alright.”

 

Toriel frowns at you. “My child, you are the one that is hurt, you should be the one resting.” She says in her stern mothering voice that’s laced with concern as she raises her hand to pet your head in a sideways motion. It makes you feel calm but at the same time guilty, a weird combo. “You scared me, I thought… I thought that you wouldn’t make it. That I lost yet another child.” Toriel looks so sad that it practically shatters your soul right there.

 

She’s taken care of you when she didn’t have to, she gave you a place to live, food to eat, a room of your own, understanding, love, a second chance. She’s helped you more than anyone you know, cared for you like a parent more than your own. She practically adopted you and made your hopeless day to day into something hopeful.

 

She’s about to pull away when you let out a strangled sob and hold her hand to your head. You realize why you were so okay with Toriel babying you, why you felt so horrible when you said she wasn’t your mother, why you panicked when you heard she wasn’t well; you considered Toriel family, you love her, and she’s the mother you always wished you had.

You look up at her, tears in the corners of your eyes and she looks back at you with concern. “My child, there is no need to-“

 

“Mom.” Your voice is cracked and watery from all the crying you’ve been doing recently and as soon as Toriel hears you she stiffens and her eyes go wide. “Mom, please rest. I know I’m not really all that well but you need to rest more than I do.” You say quietly in between a few sobs as you hear Grillby close the door and leave.

 

She gives you the most genuine and happy smile you’ve ever seen her have and she sniffs as she pulls you into a hug your more than happy to reciprocate. “Very well, my child. But you must promise me to be careful, alright.”

 

“Okay, mom.”

 

You sit next to Toriel talking and making a few puns for a while longer, enjoying the others company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, they're more people that like this than I thought there would be. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! :3  
> I think that my writing style might be really bad with too many and's and as's. Sorry about that.


	12. Smile

_“IT’S_

_SCARY_

_WHAT_

_A SMILE_

_CAN_

_HIDE”_

 

:)

Toriel falls asleep eventually and you leave her room feeling much better than when you came in. Leaving the room you notice that all the lights must be off because of how dark it is in the house. Grillby, however, is able to illuminate the entire living room as he sits with his elbows on the table and chin resting on the back of his hands.

 

You ignore him for now as you make your way to your room. Leaving the door open behind you, you proceed to make your way to your bed only to stop when you see the mass on the other side of the room. *That wasn’t there before was it?* You’ve been asleep for two days so maybe they put something in your room while you were out.

 

You go over to check it, moving several different pieces of things until you come across a mattress. “Oh. It’s another bed, and it’s bigger too.” You look over the pieces for the bed noticing how they’re made of some sort of dark wood and how it looks nothing like the other bed. “Maybe I can sleep without waking up to back pain now.” You leave the bed where it is for now.

 

You sit on the already built bed and grab the vial of Bungie’s dust. Looking over it again you feel a dull pang of sadness before you swallow it down again. *It’s best not to dwell on things when in the presence of company.* You think as you take off your locket and open it.

 

The first thing you see is the cracked glass; it’s still broken, the time stuck on 11:53. The lid to the locket has a picture of you and your sister taped to the inside of it. She’s holding the locket by its chain in between the both of you as you take the picture with your phone.

 

You peel off the longest piece of tape and place the vial inside taping snuggly to picture. You give it an experimental tug to make sure it won’t come lose and to your relief, it holds up rather well. Closing your locket you put it back around your neck and leave your room, this time closing the door behind you.

 

When you look at Grillby you see that his back is to you and he seems to be deep in thought so you make sure he knows your coming by brushing the claws of you feet on the floor. You're still in a lot of pain from your injuries and you let it show as you limp forward.

 

You limp past him noticing one of the chairs to the table is gone and stop in the entrance to the kitchen. The silence leaves awkwardness in the air that you try to elevate. “Uhh, do you maybe want anything; I can get you a glass of water.”  You nervously scratch the back of your neck again. (Good thing you keep you claws filed down)

 

“No, personally I don’t touch the stuff.” He says still staring at the table.

 

“K… Anything that I can get you... Sorry, I’ve never really met a monster made of fire before.” It doesn’t matter whether or not you file your claws, at this rate you’re going to break skin anyway so you stop and let you arms dangle at your sides awkwardly.

 

He gives you a light chuckle and finally looks at you. “I saw some of Toriel’s snail pie in the fridge that would be nice. You shouldn’t eat though, not yet with that stomach injury at least.” You nod and head over to the fridge. “Toriel told me you liked monster biology, right?”

 

“Yeah?” You call back from within the kitchen as you pull the half eaten pie out while unwrapping the plastic.

 

“Well for starters the official term for me is a ‘Fire Elemental Monster’. Secondly, although I’m made of fire I still drink and eat, a lot. I just prefer the alcoholic kind of drink.” He explains.

 

“That’s interesting, but what happens to the food you eat? And what about water doesn’t it… hurt or something?” You ask as you bring him a slice of pie with a fork and place it in front of him. The distraction into something you like is very welcomed.

 

“My flames are living magic; some water won’t be enough to put them out. As for food, I burn it off quickly hence why I eat so much.” He says with a smirk.

 

You give him a sideways smile. “Was that a pun?”

 

Grillby continues to smile and takes a bite of pie. “Still just as good as I remember.”

 

You don’t question how he’s eaten this pie before, instead continuing with light chatter. “I have to disagree; I’m not really a fan of snail foods. Uhh… mom likes them though so she usually puts them in most of the meals she makes. I’m the one that mostly makes the food now.” 

 

Grillby gives you a look and finishes another bite before speaking. “So, it’s mom now?”

 

You look away, somewhat embarrassed. “So, what of it.”

 

Grillby gives you a chuckle and pokes the pie with his fork. “So… how you holding up? You didn’t really give me a good answer last time.”

 

“I said I’ll be fine and I meant it. Thank you for caring though, but shouldn’t you be going? You’ve spent two days here already and I’m sure you have some things to take care of.” *Like Grillby’s you know, your restaurant.*

 

Grillby lets out a frustrated sigh. “I really do but I can’t very well leave knowing that you’re both injured.”

 

You lean a bit over the table. “We’ll be fine. Mom will get her rest and I’ll continue to heal as I do the chores and fix the food.”

 

“I don’t think you should be doing much of anything as you heal.” He says in a stern voice kind of like Toriel’s.

 

*What, is he a parent too?* You sigh and lean back into your chair. “Listen, you said mom called you earlier, right? So… just call whenever you want to check in and I’ll let you know how we’re doing and if anything were to happen I’ll call you right away.” He stares at his pie seemingly torn about what to do when you remember you have a phone too.

 

“Hey did anyone get my bag? I left it beside the tower.”

 

Grillby nods and turns to the fireplace, he silently stands up and walks over to it, lighting it. Honestly, you hate the fireplace. With your fur it gets way too hot way too quick, there was even the time you started panting. Toriel put out the fire and found humor in your heat exhaustion as you collapsed outside of Home with your tongue hanging out of your mouth. You had half the mind to leave and go straight to Snowdin. *Being a monster kinda sucks.* Then again you can’t say you’d take any of it back. After coming here your life took a U-turn for the better or at least until today…

 

You’re knocked out of your thoughts when Grillby sets your bag down in front of you. “Oh, thanks.”  You look back over at the fire and point. “Why did you light the fire?”

 

“It was dark.”

 

“We have lights.” He stares at you. “You yourself are like a living torch.” He sits down in the seat from earlier. “Uhh… never mind.” Reaching into the bag you pull out your jacket and set it aside but freeze when you see the slices of pie Toriel left you both. A sharp pang of guilt and sadness wells up in your chest and you take a moment.

 

You close your eyes and rub your locket with its newest addition. You know that Grillby is staring but you ignore him, you just need a moment. Just a quick moment to get your barring and put your smile back up. You stop thinking about how Bungie’s dead and instead focus on the good times you spent over the few weeks you knew each other. You smile sadly, It’s better than nothing. It’s a trick Allen taught you, to take a step back and breathe focusing on the good. Kind of like meditation only less hippie.

 

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay?” Grillby asks. You open your eyes and drop your hand to your side. Grabbing the plates of food you place them on the table as Grillby continues to eye you.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“Then why are you crying?” You turn to him as he gives you an unamused look.

 

You reach up to your cheek and sure enough, it’s wet. *Again, really?* You’ve been crying more this past month than you’ve cried in the past few years. So much for convincing him that you’re fine.

 

You take a deep breath and wipe away the water which only spreads it on your fur. You give Grillby a smile that you fill with as much genuine emotion as you can and soften your face. “I’ll be fine I promise.” The words come out a bit automatic thanks to a number of times you said it.

 

As soon as you smiled Grillby seemed to stare but not like he was judging, it was more like pity. It made you a little angry so you looked away to calm yourself. You reach back into the bag and take out your phone handing it to Grillby. “Here, put your number on here and you can call to checkup anytime you want.”

 

He takes your phone with a sigh and pulls out his as you go get something to drink. When you come back he’s standing up and handing you your phone. You take it and silently lead him down the stairs all the way to the final door that leads to Snowdin.

 

~~~

 

He opens the door. “I guess I’ll see you later then.” You offer as he turns to face you half way out the door. His face practically screams pity and you decide you should make your exit before you actually get angry.

 

“Ceth.” You stop and tilt your head just enough to see him out the corner of your eye. The pity is completely gone, replaced with an unreadable fixed expression as he stands tall with his hands behind his back. “I am leaving the Queen in your care; I expect you will do an excellent job.”

 

“Of course.” You reply a little too quietly.

 

“And Ceth, I and your mother talked. She didn’t tell me much about you but she did say that you were all alone when she met you. That you had no family or friends.” You turn around to face him fully. “You’re not alone anymore, Ceth. You have a family even if it’s small, and you have friends even if they’re few in number. I’m your friend if you ever need to talk you can call and after Toriel gets better you can even visit. I own a bar and diner called Grillby’s. It’s in Snowdin, you can’t miss it.”

 

*So this is the almost infinite kindness and compassion the game talked of; definitely not like humans.* You do your best to seem appreciative. “I think I’ll take you up on that, thanks. I may bring a guest with me though so just be ready to serve us both.” You look back up at Grillby giving him a small doleful smile.

 

His expression goes from fixed to quizzical and then happy in a matter of seconds. “Sure, I’ll be ready. Until then, Ceth.”

 

“Until then.” You reply as the door closes automatically behind him.

 

A second passes as your smile fades.

Then another as you place a paw on the wall and lean against it.

And another as you completely drop your mask now that you’re alone.

And yet another as you elicit a deep growl.

 

You’ve been doing nothing with all of your anger this past month but trying to calm down. Now, though, you’re filled with so many negative emotions that you really need to let it out. On the surface you used to do several different activities to blow off steam from going to the gym to boxing, anything that had you punch something really.  Allen suggested it at first but it all really grew on you.

 

However, you don’t have a bag to punch only a wall… it will have to do. Toriel’s asleep so you don’t hold anything back as you scream out your frustration and punch the wall with your right hand repeatedly. Eventually, you end up hitting a particularly sharp edge sticking out of the wall making you reel back in pain as you clutch your hand and continue shouting curses.  Your hand is bleeding and it only fuels your rage as you send blue lightning in every direction.

 

After a second you feel drained from all the magic you’re using and stop as you drop to your knees and try to catch your breath. You look around, still clutching your right paw. You did... a lot of damage a lot of the area is charred, cracked, and or destroyed. You probably woke up Toriel. You'll have to explain this to Toriel. The important thing or really the only thing good that you can take from this is that you feel better now. You move your fingers and wince at the pain; they’re not that bad just in need of some medical attention. Sighing you make your way back up the stairs.

 

~~~

 

Toriel isn’t up and about and you can hear her soft snoring from her room so the safe bet is you didn’t wake her. You go to the closet and reach for the first aid kit. You’re unsure why Toriel needs a first aid kit, your best guess being that she would rather just be prepared for anything. This isn’t the first time you’ve hurt your hand punching something, it happens more than you're willing to admit actually, so you know what to do and how to patch it up. You know your fingers aren’t broken or dislocated, just injured with cuts and bruises. You and the first aid kit make your way to the sink in the kitchen where you clean your hand and bandage it up. You're pretty sure it'll heal in a few days.

 

 

After everything, you make your way to your room and too exhausted to stand another moment, you neglect the new bed and flop down on the old one; sleep comes easily.

 

:(

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear better times will come just not now... or the next chapter... maybe the one after that.  
> I know I'm not that great at writing but I tried to convey just a little of how much Ceth went through and how much he has had to lie to those he loves just to try and keep them happy.  
> Bungie's death certainly didn't help him.  
> Sorry if this is bad writing but I'm not giving up yet! Expect Grillby POV next!


	13. I See Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a small retelling from Grillby's POV.

Grillby’s P.O.V.~~~

 

It’s after hours and you’re cleaning glasses in the back of the bar, which doubles as your family’s house while waiting for your wife and child to come home. Much to your dismay, Sans decided to try and make a record for how many bottles of ketchup he could drink. He got through half of your storage before you had to cut him off, so now you have to make a trip to the basement where you store everything to bring up more.

 

You place down the final glass and turn off the water. Stepping away from the sink you turn to face the basement and make your way to it. You descend the stairs and flip a switch, the lights come on and you can see some of Muffet’s spiders scurry away in every direction.

 

*I’ll have to talk to Muffet about why her spiders are in my basement.* You look around and sigh, there are boxes everywhere and you have no idea where the ketchup is. *Maybe I can put this on the chores list and have my daughter do it.* You think while remembering how she skipped school with some of her friends and although you hate disciplining, it comes with being a father. *This could be the perfect punishment.*

 

~~~

 

Thirty minutes into your search and you’ve been successfully sidetracked looking through things from your past. You pick up an old diary from when you were in the war and open it, you didn’t really have much to do back then when you weren’t fighting so you wrote. Flipping to the last page to see where you left off you grimace noticing it only talked about how you helped the wounded into one of the buildings you all had set up underground. The monsters strategic advantage of being underground was turned against them that day when they were sealed in.

 

You hear a phone ringing and put down your diary thinking that it’s weird. *Strange, I thought I left my phone upstairs.* Following the sound, you don’t find your phone but instead another box in the corner. You open it and find your old phone from years ago. The phone doesn’t have caller ID so you simply answer it.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Ah! Hello, Grillby is that you?” You know that voice and there are only a handful of people alive who know you as that name.

 

“Queen Toriel?” You ask.

 

“Oh, good so it is you then. Sir Grillby I’m sorry for the late call and odd circumstances but I have a favor to ask of you.” She says.

 

~~~

 

After enlisting Punk Hamster to help you build some of the framings, you pay Muffet to make a mattress for you. Three days later you have everything that you need and start to make your way to the entrance to the Ruins. You pass Sans’ station noting how it’s empty. *Must be on one of his breaks, probably at my bar.* You think.

 

You pass his station unhindered until you walk up to the bridge. “Hey, Grillby what’cha doin?”

 

Turing around you come face to face with Sans. He’s staring at the bed in your arms as you shift it to get a better grip. “I’m making a delivery.”

 

“Ah… I see…” Sans stares at you quizzically. “Welp, don’t let me keep yuh.” He turns around and waves goodbye with his other hand in his pocket. “I’ll see you at Grillby’s.”

 

“Hmph” You turn and continue to walk to the Ruins.

 

~~~

 

You’re sitting against one of the pillars with the bed leaning against the wall. You notice that they’re late that is even if they are showing up or even if it’s actually Queen Toriel. Suddenly, one of the doors to the Ruins open and you stand to take a look inside.

 

You’re overjoyed to see that it is, in fact, her majesty. “Your majesty it is you!” You exclaim as you stand to attention. Queen Toriel simply waves you off before speaking.

 

“I am no longer queen I have forgone the thrown a long time ago, Sir Grillby; Toriel is just fine. Sorry that I’m somewhat late but did you bring the extra bed that I asked for?”  You relax and tell her that you did bring what she asked for.

 

~~~

 

You’re talking to Toriel about her new houseguest or rather her new adoption (She always loved to take care of others especially children) when a whimsun comes in talking about how Ceth is in trouble.

 

Iris flew down and is waiting for you and Toriel at the bottom of the stairs. Already you can tell that something is wrong as if the red lightning flying into the air damaging the cave and several surrounding buildings wasn’t a big enough indication. The moment you reach the bottom of the stairs you have to take a second as a wave of the magic from the fight hits you. Toriel leaves you behind unfazed by the presence of such foul magic almost like she’s used to it.

 

You’ve only ever felt something like this from Asgore when he was sent into a rage this isn’t as powerful but… far darker. Asgore’s rage was for protecting his people this feels like… hatred, anger, and wrath all swirling in despair. It feels like the executions you witnessed humans commit, the grieving family watching with hate and despair as the anger of the town looms over. You snap out of it in time to see you’re being left behind so you pick up the pace and sprint after them.

 

~~~

 

When you all make it to the scene of the fight there’s only one figure standing there. They're covered in blood and dust, there are several small injuries adorning his whole body but a hole in the side of his abdomen is what causes everyone to stop. The child looks at you first as you inch closer and then shoots everyone a questioning look until they follow all of our stares.

 

His head tilts back up just enough for you to see the life drain from his eyes. The sight sends you into a full sprint as memories of the war resurface and you catch him before he hits the ground. Toriel wasn’t too far behind you as she’s already started to heal him as you lay him on the ground. You stare at the boy with saddened eyes. He’s not breathing, he’s dead, he’ll be dust soon.

 

“My child, please don’t die! I can’t lose a-another... I-I can’t…” You look up to meet Toriel’s distraught face.

 

“Toriel…” You place a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort, your flames dim, as she continues to try and heal them. “Toriel, you can’t it… it’s too late.” She violently shakes you off her shoulder and gives you a furious look.

 

“NO! I will not lose another child!” She turns back to Ceth and starts to pour all of her magic, and then some, into healing him.

 

“Toriel. Toriel! You can’t just-“ Hearing a sharp scratchy gasp you spare a glance at Ceth noticing he’s breathing again and that the wounds even the hole in his gut are beginning to close. You look back up at Toriel, she looks worse than Ceth did a moment ago. *She’s not going to stop.* You grit your teeth. “Shit!” Your flames shoot up as you focus on helping Toriel. Iris even comes over, giving what little magic she can.

 

Ceth’s soul is far from what you expected it to be. The moment you started to heal him you could feel it. It’s heavy, oppressive even; just reaching out for it is enough to tire you. His soul is the strangest contradiction of love, mercy, and compassion, with hate, cruelty, and indifference; it’s nothing less than sporadic. What really surprised you is its strength, after a while the magic calmed down from the fight and returned to some sense of normalcy, but in that moment his magic rivaled that of his majesty on a normal day. He may not be able to beat King Asgore in a real fight but he’s certainly close and at such a young age too. You need some answers.

 

This isn’t how you imagined meeting the new Boss Monster; with one foot in death’s door and the other on the brink of falling down. You’re certain he shouldn’t even be alive but here he is bloody, broken, and struggling through every breath. It will take a lot of hope and one hell of a miracle to save him, damn if the underground couldn’t use more of those.

 

~~~

 

Ceth’s been unconscious for a whole day now. Bungie’s parents are distraught, they’ve decided they want to leave the Ruins for the Capital and today is the day of the funeral. It’s a bit rushed but they need the closure before they leave… maybe there’s just too many memories here for them.

 

You’re attending the funeral in the place of Ceth and Toriel. Following the crowd as they silently march through the Ruins, you listen intently to every story the parents give for every spot they place their son’s dust. About an hour later the funeral is coming to an end and you start to make your way back to Toriel’s until you’re stopped by the grieving family.

 

~~~

 

They asked you to let them meet Ceth which is how all three of you ended up in his room. Ceth hasn’t fallen down but it takes a while to convince them of this. Their concern never leaves their faces as they hand you a vial of dust and ask you to pass along a message.

 

~~~

 

It’s the second day now, Toriel’s pulled through the worst of her overexertion but Ceth hasn’t so much as stirred yet. It’s unnerving, to say the least. You’re done checking on Toriel so you start to quietly make your way to-

 

“How’s Ceth doing?”

 

Your fire sparks in surprise when you turn around Toriel’s staring at you, eyes glowing from the light of your fire and waiting for an answer. Said flames dim as you look away. “He hasn’t woken up yet… it’s been two days. Other than that he’s fine.”

 

Toriel chuckles. “That sounds like him alright.” Her smile widens. “You know, the first time we met he fell in the water, almost drowning, and slept for an entire day.”

 

You walk back over and pull a chair up to her bed. Apparently now is as good a time as any for questions. “Toriel… I know that you felt what I felt. Something is not right, his soul is-“

 

Toriel adopts an offended tone as she stares daggers at you. “Is what?” You close your jaw with an audible click; slouching and looking away your body language screams guilt.

 

Toriel’s face softens and she sighs staring back at the ceiling. After a while, she picks the conversation back up. “I had the same cautions when I first met him or at least after I was sure he wasn’t going to die from drowning, but as I said before he was asleep so I didn’t get to voice my opinions. However, as he was sleeping he had one of his nightmares and he looked so vulnerable and afraid. I guess that was the moment that I truly decided to look after him.” Toriel smiles widely as she recalls other memories. “Then again sometimes it’s hard to really tell who is taking care of whom. He helps with everything cooking, cleaning, gardening, and even getting up every morning just to keep me company on my rounds through the Ruins.” Toriel’s still smiling and giving the ceiling a look of pride only a parent could give, being one yourself you know the look well.

 

Giving a small laugh, you offer your own story. “My daughter Viris is just the same. She’s always been fathers, little helper. Oh, I wish you could have seen her try to bargain staying home and helping instead of going to school. She always insists on helping in the bar as well.”

 

“So the dreaded Hell’s Touch has settled down then? Last time I checked you were training to fight the humans the moment we all get out of here. It’s been far too long, hasn’t it?”

 

It’s been a while since you’ve heard that nickname. “Most definitely, it has.”

 

You and Toriel continue to talk; catching up and sharing stories of things that have happened in the others absence.

 

~~~

 

After a while you make your exit, you have another patient after all. When you get inside you see Ceth still sleeping. You can see why Toriel wanted you to bring him a new bed. The bed he's in is small for him, it was made for a child after all, but he’s still just small enough to fit. You pull up a chair and sit down watching as his chest rises and falls slowly. Every now and then you glance at the scar on his head and think about the ones on his chest and back. You can’t help that you’re concerned after what Toriel had told you, about how they met and how kind they’ve been even with such a damaged soul. Leaning forward you pet his head and your soul clenches as he leans into the touch.

 

He reminds you of a certain blue jacket wearing punster which only furthers  your concern. “Just hang on to that HOPE of yours and don’t you dare fall down on me. Toriel would have my head.”

 

* * *

 

You’re not sure why maybe seeing Toriel again, maybe the destruction from the fight in the Ruins, or maybe Ceth’s suffering soul, but you have a dream of a war long forgotten to time.

Of the dust of your comrades.

Of the blood of humans.

Of the smell of a world burning.

Of a man titled Hell’s Touch and his last stand to help monsters escape into the underground.

Only this time it’s a happy ending

with friends,

with family,

a broken barrier,

and

plenty

of

H O P E

* * *

 

 

_“Now I see fire_

_Inside the mountain_

_I see fire_

_Burning the trees_

_And I see fire_

_Hollowing souls_

_I see fire_

_Blood in the breeze”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!!  
> If you can figure out how Viris got her name then you get one internet cookie.


	14. Friendemies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been doing some more work with these and... uh... I can't angst.  
> Thank you all for your support =)

_“With friends like these_

_who needs enemies.”_

 

* * *

 

_You’re sitting in darkness but it doesn’t feel like you…_

_It’s your body but it feels odd… foreign._

_You look down at your paws, flexing your fingers repeatedly until you feel a tugging sensation in your chest. Your soul floats out of your chest; it’s the same as last time. Black smoke, encasing a gray heart, encasing a white heart, with black veins running through the whole of it._

_Eventually, after going a few feet you stand up and your soul stops when it envelops something in its dim light. It takes you only a second before you realize that it’s you, human you, staring back at you with a smile from ear to ear. To say it is unsettling would be an understatement._

_When they, you…. Blink their eyes become completely black crying liquid like tar. You take a step back, soul following, as more of the black liquid pours out of their ears and nose. Then they open their mouth to speak spilling out more with their voice gargled by the liquid._

**_~~“COME BACK TO US.”~~ _ **

_Its voice is dark and rough but you couldn’t care less about it right now as several different figures with the same liquid leaking from their faces appear, standing behind it. They’re the people you killed. In your daze the human you lunges forward at your soul._

**_~~“COME BACK!”~~ _ **

_Stumbling back to try and get away, your soul follows as you trip and fall down…_

_Fall…_

_Falling…_

_Falling…_

_Yet falling…_

* * *

 

 

 

… You fell on your face.

 

… More precisely, your muzzle.

 

… It hurts like hell.

 

… At least, you’re awake now.

 

“Ughhhhh!” With your bottom half still in the bed and your front half hanging off the edge you use your good hand to lift yourself up. Struggling to muster up the strength to lift yourself back on the bed with one arm you give up and let gravity take its course. In this case, the course is you falling out of bed and on your back. You’re vaguely aware of having a nightmare but can’t remember the details, weird.

 

You feel horrible and barely mumble out a few words. “What time’s it.” You say as you rub your still sore muzzle.  Looking at the dresser where you usually leave your phone to charge for the night you realize that you’re still wearing last night’s clothes. Besides your stronger sense of smell telling you just how much you need a bath, you’re okay with this, because your phone is still in your pocket. When you check it, it says that it’s one in the morning.

 

Stuffing your phone back into your pocket you stare at the ceiling debating whether or not to even attempt sleep again. The dull ache throughout your body convinces you to instead relax in a hot bath for a while. Getting off the floor turned out to be enough of a chore that you decided to just grab a robe and boxers instead of looking for other clothes. The robe is one of several that are similar to Toriel’s but made specifically for your size even for your tail; you smile at the memory of you catching Toriel knitting it and telling her that she didn’t have to do that.

 

Making sure to spread your toes out to keep your claws from making contact with the floor you walk on your paw pads, sneaking to the bathroom. Once inside you lock the door and take off your shirt and bandages, letting your locket dangle from your neck and pausing in front of the mirror when you get the first good look at your wounds. Toriel and Grillby had healed you enough over the past two days that you no longer require bandages. Instead, left behind are several small scabs and one small circular pink scar on your stomach and in the same place on your back.

 

You think it strange that you’re already so used to seeing a brown furred monster in the mirror instead of your human self. You’ve already become accustomed to how you should eat and drink with a muzzle, how to properly walk and hold things with paws, and the twitching of your ears and wagging of your tail. The only things that are still the same are your locket and the three sets of scars on your head, over your heart, and on your back. Granted, Toriel did help heal your back scars a little, which is something that you’re especially grateful for seeing as how you no longer get random bouts of pain and don’t need medication for it anymore.

 

Grabbing your locket you make eye contact with yourself… that’s something that you’re still not used to. The blood red eyes are disturbing to you but oddly enough they feel right, like they’re the color they were always meant to be, more so than what they previously were. Taking off your locket you place it in the already folded robes for safe keeping before taking off the rest of your clothes and bandages. Now to take that much-needed bath.

 

~~~

 

About two hours later you’ve had a relaxing bath, changed clothes, brushed both your fur and teeth and filed all your claws; thank Toriel for your new hygiene habits. Sitting down at the dining room table with some leftovers you think about your life right now. The new you is a lot more demanding but somehow more comforting, kind of like a second chance. You can choose your life, do anything you want; back on the surface you messed up, big time, and didn’t get a choice in your life… then again you messed up down here too… no, no you won’t think about that. You’re going to have a conversation with Flowey and get him to RESET and if he doesn’t you’ll just… you’ll-

 

No, even if taking drastic measures would work, which it won’t not with a power like that, you made a promise that you’re not willing to break. What are you even doing here anyways? Why are you even still here; game over you already failed! A game asks you a question, you die, and get reincarnated as a monster with a mission to save everyone? It sounds like the bad plot to some anime Emery used to watch… now you’re just making yourself sad. Allen would scold you for that and probably regurgitate something about not being alone after a tragedy, then proceed to take you out to lunch or something that you would end up paying for because he’s still on the clock. He was certainly unethical but damn if he didn’t help you through a lot of shit.

 

Using your fork you push the peas away from the rice, funny how they have food magically growing down here that’s just like the food on the surface. The fire in the fireplace went out a while ago leaving the room quiet and dark, its foreboding and letting your mind wander to dark places. You wrap up the half eaten meal and decide on a walk to clear your head; maybe you’ll even meet Flowey. Speaking of flowers you should bring the gardening supplies; no one’s been taking care of the golden flowers while you and Toriel were asleep… wait. No one’s been taking care of the Ruins in the past few days… “Ughhh!” You prepare a note with some food for Toriel as well as some of her books.

 

~~~

 

You’re standing in front of the flowers gripping the shears possibly a little too hard. Why, after only about two and a half days does the entire Ruins practically fall apart. More than a couple of signs have fallen down, two puzzles were broken before you fixed them, the leaves are everywhere, vines are growing where they never have before, god have mercy on the next person you see kicking dirt everywhere, and you swear if anyone else pushes down that pedestal of candy YOU. WILL. **STRANGLE.** THE. EVER. LIVING. **FFFFFFFFFFFFF-**

 

Calm, calm, calm, calm, calm, calm, calm, calm, caaaaaalm. Breathe in, breathe out, and repeat. You place the watering bucket on the ground in front of the flowers and take out the shears to trim. Allen suggested a lot of things to help you stay calm such as painting, music, walking, and swimming, none really worked so he suggested ways to use your anger like the gym. If only he suggested gardening. Instead, it was Toriel who suggested it and let you take complete control over the flowers; it’s one of the many moments you look forward to daily. The pain you’re in is kind of putting a damper on everything, though, and the loss of Bungie has turned the normally cheery sight of blooming buds into a sort of melancholy. Not thinking about it, you reach down to snatch some weeds up with your messed up hand, it didn’t end well as you immediately let go.

 

“Ah, mmmmhmhm, ouch.” Keeping your hand as still as possible you cradle it to your chest until most of the pain subsides. You might have to show Toriel your hand after all.

 

“I don’t remember-“

 

“GAH! Fuck, jeez!” Looking down you see one of the flowers are frowning at you.

 

“-doing that to you.” He finishes with a confused tilt of the head. “What’s a fuck?”

 

“… Uh… I uh.” Looking away, your mouth repeatedly opens and closes. *Holy shit, he really is just a kid!* The temptation to scar the brat with the knowledge was a little more than just a passing thought but you decided against it and instead avoided the subject. “Forget about that, listen, we need to talk.” Flowey adopts his evil grin again*…has he been working on it?*

 

“I’ll say, friend.” He creates several pellets around him that you destroy with a lift of your hand and some magic, much to his disappointment, as he shrinks in on himself shying away from your lightning.

 

“Nuh uh, none of that now, especially not- Aww, come on!” Standing back up you walk past Flowey, shears in hand, to where you accidentally hit some of the flowers. “Today just keeps getting better and better.” You grumble under your breath, shearing some of the dead and burned parts of the plants.

 

Flowey stares at you incredulously. “It’s just a bunch of dumb flowers.”

 

Returning his look with a glare you sigh placing the shears down and sitting. “Okay… okay, uh. How to start…” How does one say they controlled the world you live in using a video game from the perspective of a computer screen? *How about I don’t? The best lies come from and with a little bit of truth after all.* “Okay, so um I’ve done a lot of work and uh… research… onnnn… the timelines.” *Okay, just keep going, shoulda made a speech or something.* “And I found you to be the common denominator, but you just kinda sorta came out of nowhere.” You emphasize that by spreading out your hands above your head. The more you talk the more Flowey seems upset. “Soooo I kinda sorta did a little bit of work and research on you… and… after a few sleepless nights and a lot of DETERMINATION I came up with the hypothesis that you are Asriel only without a soul.” *That’s convincing, right? Sounds convincing.*

 

Flowey’s face is stoic before it drops into a frown. “So you’re just like the smiley trashbag. How many people have you told?” He asks darkly.

 

Scrambling to your feet you back up a little bit. “Okay, I know what you’re thinking but I didn’t nor will I ever tell anyone! It’s your secret not mine.” His face contorts into anger as he opens his mouth as if he’s about to yell only to close it again. His body slowly wilts an action that makes you feel guiltier than you thought possible for the weed. “Hey, it’s true that I know your secret but I promise to keep it.”

 

His head shoots up staring daggers at you while you sit back down. “And how can I believe you! In this world, it’s kill or be killed!” His frown becomes a twisted smile of cruel glee. “But you know that already, don’t you?”

 

Grabbing your locket you focus on calming down after his little outburst. *I will not kill the daisy. I will not kill the daisy.* Taking a deep breath you look back at Flowey, he seems amused with himself. “You’re not wrong but you’re also not right. There are some… less than adequate situations that someone can be in but most of the time there’s a better way out than kill or be killed.”

 

He scoffs at you. “You don’t honestly believe that, do you?”

 

“I kinda have to.”

 

“Why!?” He screeches.

 

“Made a promise that I intend to keep. So far it’s worked out, that’s another reason why you can trust me not to say a word.” He looks away as if contemplating your words. “Hey, actually could you do me a favor? Earlier you said you had the ability to LOAD, could you back up time before we fought so we could just skip that little bit?” Okay, now you were fishing and you knew it but you’d rather just hurry this conversation along.

 

“…” While talking his attention was on you until you finished and he looked away again leaving the room to fall silent. He looks like he wants to say something but continuously stops himself before doing so he seems almost nervous…

 

“Flowey?... You can LOAD, right?” He remains silent. “Flow-“

 

“I CAN’T, OKAY!” His shouting startled a couple of sparks out of you. “Like I wouldn’t have tried after I lost that fight. Someone has DETERMINATION that supersedes my own.”

 

*Big word for a brat.* You think bitterly as the cave falls silent. “A-ahh, I see.” *That’s… not what I was hoping for.* Inhaling deeply you hold your locket and breath, looking up to the hole in the cave. It’s dark. *Sorry Em looks like you’ll be sharing a room for a while.* Exhale; sparing a glance before looking back up you see Flowey is still there. *He’s still there, good.* “I think we should work this out. With your new found mortality and my ‘I won’t put up with your trash’ attitude, one of us might end up dead and considering how the last fight ended…” Voice trailing off you look back down to see Flowey’s emotionless stare.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Huh?” You’re not sure what he’s asking.

 

“What do you want from me?” He asks louder.

 

*He thinks I want something from him? Well… he’s not wrong.* “To work out our differences I guess. Maybe be friends.” You shrug.

 

“Wha- I killed your ‘friend’ and almost you! What makes you think I even want to be your friend!?” Using two leaves he makes a motion similar to air quotes when he says the word friend.

 

“Fine then, acquaintances.” You offer.

 

“How’s that any better!? Oh, I see. You didn’t really care about that froggit.”

 

The uncaring attitude you put up falters a bit. Glaring at Flowey you force yourself not to shout. “Bungie.”

 

“What?”

 

“His name is… was Bungie. And he was probably the best friend I ever had but I can’t imagine he would want me to take revenge for his death. Besides, I’m done hurting others.” Why does he have to be so difficult it’s not like you really want to be best buds or anything. You just want to have enough of an understanding to not fight whenever you see each other. You’re doing your best to hold back your anger but knowing what he did and how he was being is really making it hard.

 

“Clearly.” …

 

…

 

*Was that sass?*

 

*Is he sassing me?* Lunging from your sitting position you point an accusing finger mere inches away from Flowey’s face. “Okay, listen here dandelion! I know you fight, kill, and generally mess with people to stave off your boredom but your ‘get outa jail free card’ has for whatever reason expired after our fight and I’m guessing it takes you more than just a few tries to kill some of the people out there. I may not be able to sympathize with you on a lot of things, especially not your soulless predicament, but I’m the only one who knows and probably still cares enough to try and be your friend! You’re right, there are a lot of trashy people out there but after everything you did I didn’t kill you nor have I been trying to hurt you in any way so if you stop your little conspiracy theories and self-pity for just a few seconds you might notice that I’m just trying to be nice!” By the end of your little spiel, your left huffing air from the lack of oxygen and you meet Flowey’s shocked expression with your own. *Did I just say that out loud, where did that even come from?* “I uh, sorry. I got… some anger problems.” Picking up the watering can you jiggle it a bit in the air. “Gardening helps.”

 

“Yeah.” A rather quiet simple answer is all he gives.

 

For a while, the only sounds that can be heard are the gentle sprinkling of water and the breathing of you and Flowey until he speaks up. “I don’t understand, why would you be nice to me?”

 

“Why not? Fighting and or hating you would only make life harder for me and you. Revenge is pointless and honestly, you’re not the one I should be angry at.” Silence falls again as you continue to water. After a moment you look back up to see if Flowey is still even there, he is. You decide to take a chance, crouching down to talk to him.

 

“Hello, Asriel my name is Ceth with a C would you like to be friends? I can call you Asriel when no one’s around, right? I don’t want to overstep any boundaries.” You hold out your hand where one of his leaves could touch it if he wants. An awkward silence fills the air after your introduction, you retract your hand.

 

But you have DETERMINATION! Idly you think about how much Toriel has rubbed off on you already. Stretching to pick up the watering can without leaving your stance you grab it and shake it in front of Flowey. “I’m extending a flower stem here and asking you water you doing tomo- GAH!” One of Flowey’s vines slams violently against the wound on your stomach knocking you back a couple feet. Your locket falls from your neck landing a few feet away. You’re left a little stunned at his action not out of surprise he would do it but out of surprise that you didn’t see it coming.

 

“ **You idiot.** ” He’s right this was beyond stupid of you, what naïve sense of hope did you use to convince yourself this was a good idea?

 

Lying on your side clutching your stomach you look up to see Flowey’s evil grin. “ **Haven’t you learned yet? In this world, it’s kill or BE killed.** ”

 

Magic requires a decent amount of focus for you to use so it’s a little hard to control when you’re doubled over in pain and not in the right mindset. That doesn’t stop you from trying, though, only proving more-so that you’re not in the right mindset even though the rational part of you is screaming to stop. “Ugh. Quite the… lesson plan, teach… but there’s one pretty big… hole in it… ugh.” By this point, you’re clutching your stomach in one hand and getting up on your knees with the help of the other. Your robe flutters slightly as your unstable magic picks up. “You can’t RESET… what do you think… will happen if you die… huh?” You give him a baseless threat and cocky smile that comes off more as pained. You don’t plan on killing him only a good scare because to be honest you aren’t sure you’ll make it back from a fight with him.

 

Oh, how you horribly misjudged your situation. You extend the hand holding your stomach and aim it towards Flowey, a small zap sounds out through the cave when blue electricity forms in between your fingers only to stop as another of Flowey’s vines come from behind you and slams you in the back forcing your chest to the ground. The vine lifts off your back and pulls you away by the tail eliciting a yelp from you. “ **No no no, none of that now.** ” He mimics you.

 

 “ **You think you’re really smart, don’t you? You’ve killed before and you’ll do it again. So you were able to play by your own rules for now. Hee hee hee… I bet you feel really great.** ” You’d be lying if you said his words didn’t hurt. ” **It’s clear to me why I can’t save. IT HAS TO BE YOU!** “ It can’t be you, you don’t have the power to SAVE, LOAD, or RESET… do you? ” **You’re not really a monster, are you?** ” The panic on your face was enough of an answer for him as he giggles once more. “ **While some may not know and won’t kill you for being human others will because of your LOVE. What will you do if you meet a relentless killer? You’ll die and you’ll die and you’ll die. Until you tire of trying. What will you do then? Will you kill again out of frustration? Or will you give up entirely on this world and let ME inherit the power to control it?** **I am the prince of this world’s future. Don’t worry, my little monarch, my plan isn’t regicide, yet. This is SO much more interesting! I can’t wait to see what happens next! I’ll be watching.** ” You grit your teeth when his maniacal laugh returns. “ **After all, killers like us… need to watch out for one another.** ” He begins to rise from the ground overlooking you with a menacing smile. “ **Isn’t that right, best friend?** ” Smiling he sinks back underground leaving you alone with the flowers.

 

Inching closer to your locket you pick it up and put it on, deciding to lay down next to the flowers to rest. “Great… just what I needed… another person looking… to kill me... Shoulda told him what fuck meant.”

 

~~~

 

Meanwhile, in a garage somewhere the whirring of a machine signals the printing of statistics and technical information. A bony hand grabs the bottom of the paper pulling its length through his fingers studying the content.

 

“heh, I thought grillbz was acting weird, what did you do, this time, kid? you must really be looking for a **bad time**.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason I choose boxers = Imagine fur and underwear, ~Shudders~... I think I might put too much thought into this.


	15. Sansational

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's Sans up to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for such short chapters and long periods between updates. Hopefully, one day I can sit down and just write a few chapters without a problem.

_“Comedians are not usually actors,_

_but imitations of actors.”_

 

Sans’ P.O.V.~~~

 

Those brats will be the death of you. If you told them once you’ve told them a thousand times that time isn’t something to be messed with, yet here you are in your Snowdin checkpoint with memories of several different futures thirty days in advance. Why? You have no idea. It should only be a couple more days before the kiddos show up.

 

“SANS!”

 

The distant call from your brother is enough to pull you from your thoughts, sticking your head out from the you see the quickly approaching figure of Papyrus with a plate of spaghetti in hand. “sup, bro?”

 

“I SEE THAT YOU ARE WORKING AGAIN, BROTHER. THIS IS VERY MUCH UNLIKE YOU; YOU EVEN SKIPPED YOUR LUNCH BREAK! SO I BROUGHT YOU ONE OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS’S CULINARY MASTERPIECES!”

 

The different dialogue momentarily knocks you off balance before you quickly recover. “well, the more i work the more breaks i build up until i have a ton, a skeleton.” A pun complete with jazz hands and everything.

 

“SANS.” Papyrus adopts a warning tone.

 

“but i think i did enough today, i’ve worked myself down to the bone!” This time, a finger gun and a wink.

 

“SANS!”

 

“C’mon you know me pap; i’m so lazy, i’m bone idle!”

 

“I’M LEAVING!” And with that he places the plate of spaghetti and fork down in front of you, leaving you to your senseless giggles. You pull the plate closer and begin eating while watching for the kids. Ever since you remembered you’ve been waiting for them but they haven’t shown up yet. They’re supposed to be here a few days from now on the fifteenth but that knowledge does nothing to still neither your worries nor the questions.

 

Why did you remember so early? Why is this timeline different? Why was Grillby carrying a bed into the Ruins? Why did Toriel let anyone into the Ruins? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Huffing you lean back in your chair, staring into the forest. After a while, you give up on another day of waiting for them and let your chair land on all fours.  You leave your checkpoint and take a shortcut to your garage; the machine you left on is still printing out information. The timeline fluctuated a little but it’s still no more worse for wear than it was before the timeline RESET. You pull up a seat in front of the blueprints and start getting to work.

 

As much power as those kids can impose on the timeline they still can’t stop the RESET from happening once every three months. At least they stopped killing everyone. It’s surprising how long it took them to tell you about the little demon and even more surprising when they refused to let you get rid of them. You just hope that you can finish this machine and fix the timeline; the only problem is that you know relatively nothing about how to do that. The original creator of it disappeared and all you know about him is a general appearance and that he’s a part of your family to some degree. You adjust the chair some to get more comfortable and resign yourself to another day of work along with the possibility of a night without sleep… sleep. *heh, paps’ll kill me if i forget another bedtime story.*

 

Flowey’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You watch as the smiley trashbag gets up and walks into the forest, you change your position to get a better look but he’s already gone.

 

“How does he do that?” You stay for a moment looking around to make sure you didn’t miss him, when you still don’t see him you burrow underground and pop back up in the Ruins. After checking the flower bed and every other part of the upper Ruins you come up under Toriel’s house. Lifting one of the boards that you loosened a long time ago you peek out just enough to see.

 

*There he is. What was his name again? Sheath? Seith? Seth? Seth! That’s right.* He’s standing in the kitchen washing some potatoes. He hasn’t done much over the past few days. It looks like you might just have to give him a friendly little push. A best friend push! But first, you’re going to have to think up some preparations for him. It’s no good going in unprepared; you learned that lesson through several deaths. *I could get the royal guard involved, maybe convince the smiley trashbag that he’s a threat or has something to do with the timelines. Better yet that he hurt his brother! He’s always been touchy about his loved ones.* Before, you could stop yourself you laugh, after which you quickly hide back under the house letting the board snap back down.

 

The real problem is that you’re not sure how to get him out of the Ruins. After a minute you decide it’s safe enough to lift your head back up and you do so. When you do the first thing that catches your eyes is the glint from the necklace that he’s wearing. You smile to yourself as you slowly let yourself sink back into the soil. *Perfect! He seems to cherish that trinket enough. Now I just need a few days of preparation.*

 

Sans’ P.O.V.~~~

 

You just finished reading Papyrus a bedtime story and are currently closing his door. The moment you do you go to your room locking the door behind and taking a shortcut to Grillby’s. You end up in front of his bar, it’s closed with the lights off but you can still see the flickering of Grillby’s fire so you knock on the glass. You almost fall asleep standing up waiting for him. When Grillby opens the door he doesn’t seem surprised in the least to see you standing there. Maybe it has to do with how many times you’ve visited this late at night in the past month.

 

“Sans.”

 

“grillbz.”

 

“Are you going to perhaps tell me why you’re here this time?” He asks moving to the side to let you in. Stepping beside him you walk in and take a seat at your usual place at the front.

 

“c’mon Grillby there’s no need for such a heated discussion.” You joke. His humorless expression as he passes you to walk around the bar says he didn’t find it as funny as you did. “no Grillby, i’m just here for a couple of drinks and the company of a friend.” You emphasize the drink part by tapping the counter twice with the knuckles of your phalanges.

 

“Will you at least be paying your tab this time?”

 

“heh, that was a good one.” He sighs audibly as he passes you your drink.

 

“You know recently I met someone who’s a lot like you, and not in a good way.” That stops you, mid drink.

 

*something else new?* “who might that be?”

 

Grillby smirks while absently cleaning a glass. “He has brown fur and paws other than that I can’t really say, but he’s just like you in the regard that he has people that cares for him and wants to help him but just won’t let them.”

 

You raise your glass. “well cheers to like ten percent of the underground.” Grillby chuckles at that and walks away. You set your glass down and stare into the reflection of yourself. You look tired.

 

You take a generous sip. *maybe i’ll meet this person soon.*

 

Ceth’s P.O.V.~~~

 

“~ACHOO~” You wipe your snout with the sleeve of your robes as Toriel pulls the book down from her face.

 

“Are you alright, my child?”

 

“Yeah, think I might be coming down with something, though.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing angst is impossible...
> 
> THANK YOU, ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!


	16. Holes In Time

_“Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.”_

**_~~AND WE ARE ALL IN DARKNESS.~~ _ **

 

Gaster’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You’re waking up in the void but you shouldn’t be. You lack the magic and DETERMINATION to wake up so why, why are you awake?

 

*What’s going on? I can’t move.* Struggling proves to be useless.

 

**[DRIP]**

 

Something’s dripping you can hear it…

 

But you’re in the void…

 

**[DRIP DRIP]**

 

It’s getting closer…

 

The sound of something moving is becoming clearer the more it gets closer. Second by second the sound grows closer and closer until a face appears above eyes black, tears black, liquid darkness pouring out of its mouth, nose, and ears as smoke like darkness rises off its skin. It’s human but you’ve never seen this human before. They’re older than the other children maybe by nine or eight years, male, about five feet tall, around- no stop analyzing the unimportant.

 

The thing can’t be human you’ve done the research and saw many humans, this is not normal. Whatever it is, looms over you letting the black liquid drip on your skull, forcing you to close your eye socket. Still paralyzed you can do nothing as you see it, with your other eye socket, lean in closer. Fear floods your system as it gently grabs your skull in both hands, its upside down smile never wavering as it speaks.

 

**~~“BEWARE OF THE MAN WHO SPEAKS IN HANDS.”~~ **

****

A loud screech echo’s through the void causing you to close your eyes and cover your skull… WAIT! You can move again! You jump up summoning your blasters but instead of the human you’re met with the gray figures of your coworkers and volunteers. Blasters dissipating you reach out to the closest person, falling to your knees and grabbing them by the sides as they seem to lack shoulders and arms. You recognize them as Kid’s sister no Tus’s sister.

 

Tus was lucky the only thing the timeline misplaced was his name, the thought of that being the lucky outcome only furthered your guilt. “I’m so sorry, Lacer! I’m so so sorry!” They’re starting to disappear again, several fading out of existence. “I promise you, I WILL make this right!” Pulling them into a hug their bow falls off and fades into darkness. “Even if I have to die-“ You fall to your hands as they fade away with the last of everyone else. “-even if I have to kill.”

 

You have a plan.

 

Ceth’s P.O.V.~~~

 

 “Ceth. Ceth!”

 

“Ughhhh.” Rolling over in your new bed you cover your ears and eyes with a pillow. “Mom s’too early.” You mumble out. You’re obviously not a morning person and the small headache you have isn’t helping.

 

“It’s ten in the morning.” Toriel shoots back, poking your snout. Definitely not a morning person.

 

Groaning louder, your sleep deprived brain thinks of a question without actually thinking it through. “How can you even tell time underground?”

 

“Hm, what do you mean?” You spare a squinting glance at her as she reaches into a pocket on the side of her robes and pulls out her phone, giving it a shake for emphasis before putting it back in her pocket.

 

“Uh, nevermind. Hey, what day is it?” You ask lifting the pillow off your head and sitting up. The sudden change in lighting causes you to wince and rub your eyes to try and get rid of the sleep.

 

Toriel blinks a few times before sharply inhaling and tapping her chin in thought. “Well, yesterday your grounding ended-“

 

“I still say I’m too old to be grounded.” *What kind of nineteen year old gets grounded by their newly found adoptive mother anyways?”

 

“If you had acted your age and not destroyed the basement and your hand then you wouldn’t have been grounded.” Toriel emphasizes her disapproval of your recent actions by placing her hands on her hips and giving you a stern look.

 

Holding up your now healed paw you try to defend yourself. “I didn’t hurt it that bad and it was an accident, it’s not like I purposely hurt myself. And-“ You move your hand to point in the direction of the basement. “The basement is fine; you make it sound like it collapsed or something.”

 

“It very well could have, my child. You must be more careful, all right?” She looks at you with enough concern to make even the most uncaring of people feel guilty.

 

“Yeah. Sorry.” Catching a whiff of something cooking you smile widely, almost your entire mood changing along with the perking of your ears. “Do I smell snail pancakes?”

 

Toriel smiles at you. “I thought you said you didn’t like snails.”

 

“I don’t. The way you cook, however, makes it worth it.” You won’t let her know it but you’ve sort of gotten used to snail maybe even like it. Getting out of bed, Toriel leaves you so you can change into something a bit more comfortable.  Today that includes a simple bright green zipperless hoodie and some blue pants. Although she isn’t completely healed it’s nice to have Toriel up and around the house again. The past several days have been rather bleak; you would wake up, make breakfast, do Toriel’s rounds, talk with friends (mainly Napstablook), make lunch, eat it with Toriel, and find something to waste the day until supper, after which is sleeping again. To be honest it's felt kind of nostalgic, the loneliness and repetitiveness but it’s not something you miss. You can’t possibly thank everyone enough for everything they’ve done; it’s been so long since you’ve felt this loved.

 

The dining room is light up, a fire keeping the house warm, a plate of breakfast waiting on the table, and the soft sounds of someone working in the kitchen.

 

It feels like a home. Your home.

 

“My child? Are you alright?” You’re standing in the middle of the room just looking around with a sad smile across your face. Churning your attention to Toriel you see she looks more curious than concerned.

 

“Yeah, mom. I’m good, just a small headache.” She gives you a sympathetic smile before seeming to notice something.

 

She giggles while covering her mouth. “Oh, I can tail.” She emphasizes the last word with her pronunciation and by pointing to her own tail. Looking behind you, you notice your tail is wagging back and forth; it truly has a mind of its own. Normally you would be embarrassed but… you’ve grown used to it and just let it wag.

 

*Today is a good day.* That was until you sat down to eat and got a mouthful of snail. *Just gonna cut out all those little parts there.*

 

~~~

 

*Today is a bad day.*

 

The entire walk through the Ruins you feel hot and lightheaded worse yet your paranoia has you keeping an eye out for Flowey, the stupid weed has you far more paranoid than usual feeling like he’s been watching you. Heck, just a few days ago you were cleaning potatoes and thought you heard him laughing.

 

Coming across a familiar patch of leaves you notice an even more familiar ghost with headphones. “Yo Napstablook.” You give a friendly wave when he turned around. “How are you today, and where’d you get the cool headphones?” He didn’t have them before and you’re fairly sure physical objects don’t make it through walls.

 

“Oh….. hi Ceth… I’m good. Toriel let me bring them through the door… she never let me before… sorry.”

 

You sigh when he says sorry again for what you’d guess is probably the hundredth time. “Napsta you don’t have to apologize it’s okay to bring headphones with you.”  Two stubby arms appear around his side pulling down the headphones to rest on air around what you’d guess to be his neck. *Magic.* “So what’cha listening to.”

 

“Um… just a remix I made…” His form fades slightly.

 

You walk up beside him, stuffing your paws into your hoodies pockets. “That’s pretty cool, can I listen?” You inquire as he solidifies a little.

 

“Oh, um…. yeah.” He takes the headphones off and hands them to you. You’re about to put them on when you stop and stare at them. “… What’s wrong” You nervously scratch the back of your neck thinking of how to respond. He looks dejected at your silence. “… Do you not want to listen?... That’s fine I’m sor-“

 

“No!” Napstablook’s eyes widen and he flinches slightly from your outburst. You turn away fiddling with the headphones before slowly lifting a paw to point at one of your ears. “I… I don’t know how to wear it with… these.” There’s a moment of silence after you let your hand fall before you hear quiet chuckles from beside you.

 

At first, you were annoyed but when you turned to see him smile for the first time you couldn’t help but join in the laughter. “I could just turn on the speakers. That is if you want.” Still smiling he seems a little more at ease around you.

 

You hand him his headphones back. “That would be awesome.”

 

~~~

 

Eventually, Napstablook had to leave and you continued to make your way to the candy bowl pedestal the sight of which saddens you. Not only is Bungie gone but Iris also pulled a Houdini while you were unconscious. Her disappearing act made you angry for a while but after a couple of days what little anger you held against her dissipated too, even more, sadness. The room seems so quiet now, almost haunting. The flowers you once cared for so much with their beauty always bringing a smile, only bring misery. You lost two great friends in the course of a few days… you hate this feeling, before you were used to it, you were always alone but now after it got better and you made friends it only hurt more. You sit down leaning against the wall staring into the room; the Ruins seem so much smaller than they used to…

 

It truly was starting to feel like home. . .. … ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

~~~

 

You wake up just in time for your back to slip off the wall and collide with the ground along with your head.  The groan that escapes your lips is hoarse; rolling to your side you hold your head in hopes to soothe the pounding migraine. “Ahhh… fuck me.” Never before have you regretted a nap so much.

 

Your eyes have long since adjusted to the lighting inside the Ruins but now even this much seems far too bright. Taking out your phone you check the time, you’ve been asleep for about two hours. Your rounds were supposed to be done like an hour ago. You are so not in the mood for any of this and although begrudgingly you decide to go through the rest of the rounds quickly and then sleep this all away.

 

~~~

 

You pull the lever to close the door with the pressure pads then turn toward the stairs. The air is stale and the sights no longer awe-inspiring, a frown seems to have taken permanent residence on your face. You’re so tired.

 

You’ve descended the stairs and almost as a show of good fortune from the universe everything is clean and in its proper places. You continue to the passage when a wave of power that distorts everything around you stops you. Adrenaline flows through you as your body goes frigid; everything is a blur shifting into several different versions of themselves. Sometimes the leaves are in place only to show no leaves at all and then leaves everywhere. Places, where nothing was previously, are filled with things like bricks and then erased again. Everything feels wrong.

 

It’s only when another you walks through the passage that you move again, only just far enough to get out of their way. It’s you but not, their body seems to distort like a computer glitch as they pass you and slowly ascend the stairs just like you did when you first got here, they even have the same clothes. Following them with your eyes you see more figures that look just like you with different outfits coming down and going back up, passing through one another at different paces, even through you. It’s like you’re seeing several different points in time all at once.

 

You hear something unlike the pads of your feet and turn to its direction to see two children no older than ten one walking the other floating through the passage, their body’s just as distorted as all of the others. “Frisk?” You call only to receive no reaction. Just then several more Frisk’s and Chara’s walk through, some with brown eyes others with red and a myriad of expressions, happy, sad, angry, crazy, lost, panicked… lifeless. Sometimes Frisk’s the ghost, sometimes they’re both arguing, sometimes they’re holding hands… sometimes they’re covered in dust.

 

Another sound breaks through all the commotion; ears twitching in the direction of the patch of grass you can tell someone’s crying. Doing your best to avoid everyone you let the ones you can’t just pass through you. The crying is louder but seems to be coming from the flowers. You continue in its direction to see three children one human, one ghost, and one monster in a group hug. Anger swelled inside you, everything felt so much more real. You can’t even imagine what they all must have gone through. You’re about to reach out when another wave of power sends you reeling back into a corner of the room. You feel sick, everything is spinning as you fall to the ground unconscious in the shadows. All the distortion is gone, everyone is gone, everything is quiet.

 

**~THUD~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Boy have I been tired as of late." Checks Undertale: A Hero's Tale's status:  
> Comments: 65  
> Kudos: 218  
> Bookmarks: 25  
> Hits: 2408  
> (DIES)


	17. The wrong thing for the right reason?

_“Sometimes it is better to lose_

_and do the right thing than to_

_win and do the wrong thing.”_

 

Gaster’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You’re standing before a giant beam of light extending into a vortex beneath your feet. It is but one of several tears in time created by the DETERMINATION of two children and your own failures. It requires little to no energy to see. Opposite of you is the creature in the human body, come to bear witness to your actions. Staring into the light you see what has been and what is, the future remaining unseen. You reach into your coats pocket and pull out a photo of you and your two children. Memories surface as you run a hand across its surface.

 

A red soul slowly falls from above. You speak for any who might listen as you extend your arm. “There will be no more RESET’s Ceth’s presence assures that. I will not ask for forgiveness for this is what must be done. I am truly sorry for what I have done and for what I must do. Let this hell of my own volition serve as my punishment.” The creatures smile widened as more of the black liquid leaked from its face. The void makes no move to stop you as you use your magic to corrupt the soul with LOVE. You look back at the photo and wipe it clean from your tears. “It’s truly surprising that I can still cry.” You hear the creature laugh to itself and you glare at it, putting away the picture. “I don’t know what you’re planning nor why you stopped attacking me but you won’t win, I won’t let you. You won’t get the timeline.” You growl.

 

It only laughs louder, on borderline hysteria, showing more emotion than you’ve ever seen from it. It seems… elated. “ ** ~~KEEP IT!~~** ”

 

**_\--- ~~…~~~_~~ RESET ~~_~~~…~~ \---_ **

 

Long ago, two races ruled over Earth: HUMANS and MONSTERS.

**~~One day, they all disappeared without a trace.~~ **

 

One day, war broke out between the two races.

**~~Its history was lost to time.~~ **

 

After a long battle, the humans were victorious.

**~~They brought about their own doom.~~ **

 

They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell.

**~~Imprisoned there, born there, and died there.~~ **

 

Many years later…

**~~Far too long.~~ **

 

MT. EBOTT 9/15/2015

 

**~~It began.~~ **

 

Legends say that those who climb the mountain never return.

**~~None ever did. None ever will.~~ **

 

**_\--- ~~…~~~_~~ GENOCIDE ~~_~~~…~~ \---_ **

 

A child, no older than ten, falls into a mountain; their landing cushioned by the flowers below. For a moment, they are still, the flowers, more abundant and cared for than anticipated, brush against them in the gentle breeze. Slowly, they sit up and smile, their red eyes piercing through the darkness. Not a moment passes before they’re up and walking to the next area.

 

Flowey’s head pops up from the ground. Their usual cheerful façade fades as they notice the unnatural smile that’s forced on the child’s face. “C-Chara… is that y-“ Flowey doesn’t get to finish his sentence before they attack him. Flowey ducks underground just in time to avoid the potentially deadly strike. The child pauses, waiting for Flowey to make an appearance when it becomes apparent that he won’t show they laugh.

 

They continue through the Ruins each step just as confident as the last, when they see their first monster. The froggit doesn’t see them approach as they raise their weapon and slam down. It continues like this through the entirety of the Ruins, sometimes they see the monster, sometimes the monsters see them. It takes them only one hit with their hate to kill anything instantly.

 

They walk a smile on their face, grayed clothes, and trail of dust left in their wake.

 

Toriel’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You sigh and place your phone down on the counter. After Grillby called saying he couldn’t check in with Ceth he called you. It’s the third time you’ve called Ceth in the past half hour without an answer. They may not be as bad off as you are but they’re still recovering. You’re starting to get worried when you heard the door creak open. You turn on a heel marching toward the entrance to get some answers to why Ceth worried you by not answering his phone.

 

“Ceth, my child, you better… have…” The words die in your throat as a child covered in dust stands in your doorway. They lift their stick up aiming at you with it, their smile stretched to painful proportions. You can easily tell there’s something very wrong with the child and can’t help the motherly concern that floods your voice. “Child, what have you done?”

 

Their smile and stance falter at your words but they quickly regain composure running at you with the stick ready to swing. You jump back quickly tossing a few balls of fire in their direction to hopefully frighten them but they don’t so much as flinch as they sidestep them all expertly. They rush forward in another attempt to strike, you summon a wall of flames spreading it out and pushing them back. You still haven’t fully recovered and you can already feel the fatigue of using even this small amount of magic. You can’t even manage to want to hurt this child.

 

Their standing at the other end of the newly destroyed house, smile widening as they rush at you again. Thinking that maybe you could stop this useless battle by whittling down their HP a little and letting them know you’re serious, you put a little more into your next attack. Imagine your surprise when they actually take a direct hit… and land motionless on the floor… *Oh no…*

 

Dropping all defenses you rush to where the child’s body lay and kneel down next to them. “My child, are you alright?!” You frantically search them for injuries, finding none you gently flip them over to ch…

 

They’re smiling…

 

Sans’ P.O.V.~~~

 

Another day, another long wait for two irresponsible kids in your checkpoint. At least you can sleep the day away thanks to the feeling of magic waking you up whenever the seal, that keeps the door to the Ruins closed, is broken. You yawn stretching then crossing your arms and laying yourself over the counter with your head resting on them. “a quick nap couldn’t hurt.”

 

**_~RING~ ~RING~_ **

****

Eye sockets half lidded, you fish your phone out of your pocket and answer it with your best annoyed voice. “hello, sans speaking. who might i ask is calling me on my telebone?” Not your best but it does enough to relieve some of your annoyance.

 

If the groan isn’t enough to answer your question the boisterously loud voice definitely is. “BROTHER! I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE TO STOP WITH YOUR INCESSANT PUNNING!”

 

“aw c’mon bro, i know you find them humerus.” You chuckle at Papyrus’ screech of disapproval, he always gives the best reactions.

 

“THIS IS NOT WHY I CALLED, BROTHER! I AM TRYING TO WATCH METTATON’S SPECIAL BUT THE SHED IS MAKING A LOT OF RACKET! NORMALLY, I THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD TAKE CARE OF SUCH A SIMPLE TASK BUT I KNOW YOU LIKE YOUR PRIVACY!”

*Stupid machine probably got jammed.* “yeah bro, i’ll be right there.” You say before hanging up. The house is too far away to feel the seal to the Ruins break but you doubt that after the kiddos didn’t show for this long that they’ll be here today. They probably decided to spend all three months with their mom. Even if the kid did only fall today you probably wouldn’t see them for another week tops.

 

You decided to walk there instead of taking a shortcut and say hello to everyone on your way. When you got to the house you could hear the machine printing a mile a minute.

 

Emphasis on printing. 

 

You slowly walked up to the shed, eyeing it as you went, and pulled out your keys. Opening it you were met with a small mountain of paper, just glancing over the information was enough for your theoretical blood to go cold and your sockets to lose all their light. Something is horribly wrong with the timeline.

 

 Slamming the door behind you and locking it you pick up some of the paper. “ **what. the. hell. kid.** ” You’re going to be here for a while.

 

Gaster’s P.O.V.~~~

 

“Keep it!? What do you mean, keep it!?” You’re not sure which you’re more shocked about, the fact that you’re having an actual conversation face to face with the void or that they don’t care for the timeline. *It has to be some trick.*

 

Its mouth doesn’t move as it talks through its ever-present grin. “ ** ~~YOU ASSUME I DESIRE SUCH MOMENTARILY FRUITLESS GAINS? YOUR LOGIC IS SOUND BUT FUNDAMENTALLY MISTAKEN.~~** ” Every word they speak hangs in the void, an echo that slowly grows silent. The body they possess shakes violently for a moment before settling with its head tilted to the side. “ ** ~~YOU SPEAK VERACIOUSLY OF MY COVET OVER THE TIMELINE. YET YOU LACK THE POTENTIAL TO EVEN GLIMPSE THE BIGGER PICTURE.~~** ” Their body convulses again, they end up holding their face in their hands, black liquid leaking through their fingers and laughing loudly.

 

You never thought that you’d be having this conversation let alone that they would be present enough to even understand anything you say. Against your better judgment, you let your curiosity get the better of you. “Bigger picture? What do you mean?” They only laugh louder in response, body jerking every now and then in seemingly random directions.

 

“ ** ~~BEWARE OF THE MAN WHO CAME FROM THE OTHER WORLD.~~** ”

 

Ceth’s P.O.V.~~~

 

You’re lying in the corner unconscious, draped in shadows.

* * *

 

_Allen is sitting opposite of you in a padded chair fit for a king while tapping the end of his pen on his clipboard. “So… can you tell me why you did what you did?” Only the second day here and he’s already going at you head on. You just look away refusing to play his game. After a moment of silence, he sighs, taking off his glasses and rubbing his temple. “You can’t just not talk to me, eventually, you’re going to have to talk about it or I’ll be forced to tell the courts you’re uncooperative.”_

_That earns him a glare from you to which he accepts as a reward for his efforts. “There is no reason, I just did it.” The moment the words leave your mouth you mentally scold yourself while looking at Allen’s overly delighted face at getting you to talk to him. *Good work not sounding like a psychopath, idiot.*_

_Allen leans in putting his glasses back on and writing on his clipboard. “So you’re saying that the death of your parents, right in front of you, as well as the murderers displayed before you with their theoretical pants down, didn’t play a role in why you killed them nor in such a fashion?” Well if that wasn’t rigged you didn’t know what was._

_“You know I don’t remember the crash or what happened after the fact.” You don’t see his reaction, instead, you focus on the clock and how much more time you’ll have to spend he-..._

_The clock is going backwards…_

_“Of course. How about instead I ask a more… fitting question?” Confusion written on your face you turn to him only to be met with a blinding smile befitting of a psychopath. “ **Why didn’t you save them?** ”_

_A lump settles in your throat as you search for an answer. “I couldn’t I didn’t even make it out of the car before they died!“_

_“ **Lies! Admit it you hated them for giving up on you, for replacing you with that brat, Emery! You wanted them dead! You let them die!** ” The lights flicker as his eyes grow darker._

_“NO! I never hated them or resented Emery!”_

_“ **Oh but the guilt of it all when you saw the recording of them frantically trying to get you out of the car screaming your name, the last words they ever said!** ” Your anger spikes as you reach for your locket only to find it not there. Of course, it’s not there you don’t get it for a long time… so why did you remember it? “ **Wasn’t it your dream to be a hero like dear old daddy? LOOK WHERE THAT GOT HIM! LOOK WHERE THAT GOT YOU!** ”_

_You close your fists and clench your teeth. “Shutup.”_

_“ **Even with magic, you couldn’t save a single person! Poor Bungie!** ” He’s laughing now as you shake with anger._

_“Shutup!”_

_His smile falls into a scowl as he hisses the next words with as much venom as he can muster. “ **You weren’t even able to save the sister you swore to protect.** ”_

_“SHUT UP!” Lunging at him from your position on the couch you prepare to punch him only to stop before making contact with the person in front of you. The figure before you is no longer Allen._

_“E- Emery?” They look afraid. “Emery it's you!”  Your fist opens, you reach out to her and she screams in fear running away._

_“MONSTER!”_

_“Wha-“ Terror floods your system as you look at your hands now paws with horror. You begin to shake. “Emery wait! It’s me your brother!” You shout as you run out of Allen’s office after her. The moment you pass the door you’re in Emery’s room. She’s lying on the bed bleeding out…_

_Just like the day…_

_You want to rush to her side, to help her but you can’t move you can barely even breathe. Her head slowly turns to you with dead eyes. “Why didn’t you save me?”_

_Your voice shakes with emotion; nothing more than a whisper. “I-I tried. I tried so hard.”_

_Blood slowly leaks from her mouth. “You said you would always be there for me, where were you?”_

_“I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry.” You whimper._

_She coughs up more blood as the room darkens. “They came for you, not me. You let me die… It’s all your fault.”_

_“NO! It’s not my fault! I tried to save you! I tried!”_

_“ **You killed me.** ”_

_You don’t get to process the words as Emery falls from the edge of the bed. Your legs suddenly work again as you dive just in time to catch her. Her body limp in your arms you begin panicking until a loud crash like shattering glass pulls your thoughts to the wall. Emery’s mirror lays on the floor cracked the many pieces facing you, the world around you freezes as you see the reflection in it._

_A brown-furred monster holding Emery, covered in blood, eyes glowing red, and beaming from ear to ear as black tar leaks out of their face. They’re holding the knife that killed her. You can hear footsteps next to you getting closer but you can’t look away. They keep getting closer until you, human you, slowly comes out of the shadows and leans into the monsters ear._

_“ ** ~~IT’S STILL YOU.~~** ”_

* * *

 

 

You lunge from the ground too quick for your body to handle. The inertia combined with the horror you just experienced causes your body to expel any contents in your stomach. You throw up a few more times before pushing yourself away and falling back to the ground, panting in the effort to catch your breath. You feel hot and your head is spinning, if your stomach is any indication then it too is saying that you’re sick. You feel horrible.

 

You lie there taking deep breaths and holding your locket, an attempt of comfort. Nightmares… you’re no stranger to them… but it’s been a while since you had something like that. As tired as you are you don’t want to chance another dream like that so now is probably as good of a time as any to get going.  You’ll think about all of this from the comfort of your bed not a filthy floor with vomit a few feet away…

 

*I’m going to have to clean that, aren’t I?*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately, life is getting a little hectic at the moment so I don't know if I'll make the next update. I guess this is where my scheduled update system sort of falls apart, I'll just update when I can from now on. Sorry for those who really like this I couldn't feel more shitty even if I wanted to. Thank you, everyone, that likes this and has voiced their opinions!


	18. Announcement

I'm sorry for not having another chapter for you guys but I've been having problems writing and with finals coming up with needing to get a job and finish getting a drivers license (I wish I didn't put that off so much) I really need to take a break and get some things done.

Sorry for the inconvenience the moment I find the will and break past my writers block I'll delete this and post an actual chapter. Who knows maybe by then I'll be able to update faster as well.

In the meantime here are two amazing stories that you should really read. If you like Undertale, adventure, getting mad, sad, and happy then you will love these amazing works. inverts made these and finished the second one just today. In my opinion, they are works of art that made me cry at the end please give them a look.

http://archiveofourown.org/series/426649

 

This is another amazing story that I love to bits and I think that you will too!

http://archiveofourown.org/works/5776876/chapters/13313458


	19. Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's not pretend like we didn't see this coming everyone.

Hi everyone. I've really let you all down for a really long time but I just don't have the time nor the will to continue at the moment or foreseeable future and as some have made aware to me they would love to read more even from another writer. Personally, I would love for some writer I know to pick it up from here but those who I have asked and would ask are busy or would otherwise not take up another project. I don't wish to just give this to anyone so even if it's asking for too much I'd only let someone who's posted on this site before and I get to read their work and find that I like it. If you fit this and are willing to pick this up and have free creative rights to it even to restart then message me here: http://the-kursed.tumblr.com/ and we will talk. :D

I've always planned to finish this even if it's by someone else's hand but if you all prefer or I just can't find someone to take over then please don't expect an update anytime soon. It was only thanks to the help of a lot of lovely people in my life that I was able to start and keep going, it was thanks to all of you lovely people that I had the determination to make it as far as I have already. I don't take any of you or your kind words for granted but it's almost been an entire year of hiatus and that is just not right to you all.

Thank you all for everything, I love you all and I'm sorry I couldn't do this by myself. <3


	20. One Fourth of Chapter 18 and More Announcement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if this is incoherent I did this really quickly and didn't do much correcting I'll have to go through the whole story again to get the bearings once more. :)
> 
> Glitchingecho, Yoto205, and PassTheNachos Thank you for the incredibly kind words you left for me in the last announcement. <3
> 
> And thank you to everyone else who has left love, comments, or even has just read my fic! 
> 
> Thank you everyone has had patience for me despite everything I've put you all through, you're all amazing!

Flowey’s P.O.V.~~~ 

You’re rooted a good distance away from the bridge to Snowdin in the forest waiting for Papyrus to finish checking on one of his idiotic traps as you let your mind wander. Seth certainly isn’t the most interesting person you’ve ever met; all he does is spend time with Toriel helping around Home, tending to the Ruins, and gardening. Doesn’t he know the power he has? He could do anything he wants without consequences, yet he spends his time doing nothing! 

Normally, you would just mess with whomever in their normal daily lives but this one is different, per their LV they’ve either cut down a good chunk of monsters or killed some tough enemies. Considering that state of most monsters and their strength in a fight you’d have to go with the latter but at the same time you haven’t really noticed a drop in the population Underground, to which you are certain with that much LV that you would notice it. The Underground is a huge place with plenty of monsters, but after this long, you know almost every nook and cranny of it.

You hear the familiar baritone voice of a certain smiley trash bag and crane your head slightly to get a better look. From what you can tell from Papyrus’s rage and loud screams he’s telling more of his awful puns. You bring yourself fully behind a tree and absently listen without actually paying attention to a word they say. Your thoughts are too distracting.

Just because you can’t control the RESET’s anymore doesn’t mean you can’t still have fun and what better way than starting with Seth! You’ll show him, you don’t need friends; you don’t need him, nor anyone! It isn’t like you can feel anything anyway; he’d just get boring eventually. You can’t believe that you, even for a second, considered his proposition, as if the past never happened and you learned nothing from what happened to… him. They were an overly optimistic fool who didn’t understand how the world worked and who would’ve accepted their offer in a heartbeat. They’re dead now and you’re what’s left  
Flowey  
not  
Asriel.

… It’s been silent for a while now so you stick your head out confirming that both Papyrus and Sans have moved on. Ducking underground you pop back up in front of Papyrus’s bridge trap, out of all of Papyrus’s useless puzzles you must say this one is a few bounds greater than the others and is even borderline unfair. Over the course of the resets, you have yet to see this monstrosity in action. However, just to make sure you get the best results you’re going to put your own little spin on it.

You’ve been planning this for a while and you must say you’re both excited and proud of yourself for how much effort you’ve put into this. You even convinced those useless royal guards that some criminal was coming out of the Ruins soon.

They’re so trusting, these monsters. You didn’t even need to show proof, just your word alone and they all took up arms!

“A few loose boards here a weakened chain there aaaaand… perfect!” Using your vines, you manipulated the trap, making it more deadly. Now you just need the subject of your entertainment for the foreseeable future.

Sans’ P.O.V.~~~

You’ve been sifting through the mess of papers for the past thirty minutes and you still can’t make heads or tails of any of it. Usually, the machine just displays data of when the kid does their thing, but this, this you can’t even begin to comprehend! You never made this damned thing, you didn’t even know that it could display this much data! It took you forever to even understand that it was telling you about the resets in the first place.

You can’t read these but you’re no idiot if the past has taught you anything it’s that nothing out of the ordinary is good. Especially when it comes to the timeline or “the kid”. Everything is changing so fast that you can’t keep up and the script you’ve been so careful to follow for the timelines sake has been ruined. Tossing the papers to the side and leaving the machine to do its work

ANNOUNCEMENT:  
So I'm trying to keep you all up to date with the things that are happening so let's do that. So a lot of things are happening bad news is I still only have a maybe for adopting this fic. Good news is I've come across some potential income that will hopefully allow me to get a laptop! This laptop is one that I plan to have for a while so I plan on getting a decent one, this laptop will be used mainly for work and art ((No I'm a horrible artist just starting out)) But the great thing is that it will be used to write more Undertale: A Hero's Tale!!!! More bad news yet is that it will be more time yet before I get it I don't even have the money yet. So anybody still thinking about adopting please let me know! :D

I thank all of you for your patience and I understand any sore feelings and apologize ahead of time.

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me what you think and any ideas you might have.


End file.
